Red Chile Pumpkin Stew

My first recipe didn't ACTUALLY use much from the freezer, but it definitely could have. The beef and collards came from the freezer, but I roasted the pumpkin and tomatoes from fresh. It was a case of producing the elements and then thinking up a way to put them together.

Earlier in the day I unwrapped the big box of tomatoes I had stored in newspaper to try to ripen after pulling up the plants a couple weeks ago. Turned out about 8 pounds worth were more or less ripe...the newspaper method ripens tomatoes up a little bit better than a grocery store tomato, but they are not going to be salad delicious. Roasting is a good way to concentrate flavors and bring out some sugars. I cut em up, tossed em in a roasting pan, and sprinkled some salt over. Then tucked them in a hot oven (it was nice and cozy on a gray drizzly afternoon) for about an hour. Since I had the oven going at roasting temp I decided to break down one of my pumpkins. I cut it up into chunks, removed the seeds(to dry and roast later!)and pulp, and put it in another roasting pan with a little bit of water. I left the skin on and it's really easy to pull off after the pumpkin is soft, but you can also cut it off before roasting.

With the roasted tomatoes and roasted pumpkin as a starting place, I started thinking about how to combine them into something yummy that would also incorporate something from the freezer. It was definitely a stew sort of day, and I had recently made a pork stew, so I decided to use beef. (if I had lamb I probably would have gone for that) The chilly weather made me think of chile--a nice thick red chile stew would do the trick. I perused a few recipes online, and then decided to pull it together myself. It's a New Mexican style red chile, with a few unexpected elements. It turned out very warming, very satisfying, a little spicy. The cocoa powder gives it a richness that kicks things up a notch. The ginger (especially when you find a little chunk) is a wicked surprise. And the collards add nutrition, some chewiness, and crossed something off the white board!
Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
4 small or 2 large onions, diced small
2 T minced ginger
2 T minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
1 T cumin
1 T cinnamon
1 T oregano
1 pound stew beef cut in small pieces (or pork, or lamb, or substitute two cups pinto beans to make it vegan!)
1 medium pumpkin cut into chunks and roasted
2 cups shredded collard greens
3 cups roasted tomatoes (or a 28oz can, or a quart of home canned tomatoes)
2 T salt
1/2 cup red chile powder (not chili spice!)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups water
Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and oregano and saute until onions are translucent. Add stew meat and cook until browned. Reduce heat, add pumpkin, collard greens, tomatoes and salt. Stir well and let cook until greens are softened. Sprinkle chile powder and cocoa over the mixture and stir well to incorporate. Add water, turn heat to medium high, put lid on and cook for 45 minutes to one hour. Stir occasionally, taste to adjust seasonings, add 2 T lime juice and 1/4 cup cilantro if desired. Delicious with cornbread, tortillas, or served over noodles.