1 butternut squash
400 g crimini mushrooms, clean, stems removed, broken with hands
4 medium yellow onions, rough chopped
4 bell peppers, different colors, deseeded and rough chopped
1 T kosher salt
1/2 freshly ground coarse black pepper
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 cup (60 g) Castelvetrano olives, diced (or 2 T black olive tapenade)
(Two) 700 g jars of good quality chickpeas
28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, whole, peeled
Onion jam

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Wash and trim the squash (there’s no need to peel it), carefully halve lengthways and deseed. Place the skin-side down directly on the oven bars and bake while you prepare the rest of the vegetables (about 30 minutes).

Put a large Dutch oven (or casserole pan) on high heat. Break the mushrooms and toast in the dry pan for 10 minutes to bring out their nuttiness, tossing regularly. Peel the onions, deseed the peppers and very roughly chop both. Add to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Peel and finely slice the garlic and add to the pan with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and the olives. Allow the liquid to evaporate, then go in with the chickpeas (juice and all). Add the canned tomatoes, breaking them apart with clean hands, and fill both the empty tomato cans with water to add to the stew.

Bring to a boil. Once there, set the squash halves on top, skin side down, and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until thick, delicious, and the squash is soft.

Despite still having its skin on, the butternut squash absolutely melts into this stew, imparting flavors that are complex and richly satisfying!

Once it finishes its cooking time, use a serving spoon to roughly break up the squash and mix it through the stew, then season to your taste.

Enjoy as is, batching up extra portions to stash in the fridge or freezer for future meals.

Many many thanks to Jamie Oliver for a superlative recipe and one of our family favorites!!