Beans, Squash and Sofrito

Rick regularly makes his mother’s version of beans and squash. Usually we eat it from a bowl like a stew. This version, from Eric Ripert, is served over rice and features a flavorful condiment called sofrito to add extra flavor. Best of all you can mix and match the ingredients to suit what you already have on hand, making this an easy weeknight vegetarian dish.

The first time Rick made this for me he used pinto beans and leftover roasted butternut squash. Over the years we’ve used black beans, pink beans and kidney beans. Most often they’re from a can, but sometimes we’ll make use of a previously cooked batch of dried beans. Any winter squash can be used instead of butternut squash so you can take advantage of what’s available in the market. You can choose already prepared butternut squash (your own or store bought), frozen or canned squash. The most economical option is to purchase a whole butternut squash and peel it and chop it up yourself, but if what’s available is too large for your family you can opt for a smaller winter squash like acorn, hubbard or even a small pumpkin.

The sofrito adds a lot of flavor to the beans. It’s similar to mirepoix (carrots, onions and celery) or the Trinity of Creole cooking (peppers, onions and celery.) Sofrito actually refers to the cooking method where chopped vegetables are briefly fried in some sort of fat and then used to build a sauce, soup or stew. In Latin America it’s also stirred into rice dishes. The ingredients vary by region but typically include onions, garlic, bell peppers and tomatoes. Look for jars of sofrito (sometimes called recaito if there’s no tomatoes) in the Latin food section of the grocery store if you decide you’d like to keep some on hand to add a punch of Latin American flavor to your food.

My sofrito got lost in the large cast iron skillet I used.

As with the beans and the squash, you have a choice when it comes to the type of peppers you use to make your sofrito. I bought a pack of the mini bell peppers to make my version. Green bell peppers are also a good choice. If you’d like a little heat you could easily add some chopped jalapeno or your favorite red chili to the mix. Likewise, if you don’t care for cilantro you can substitute parsley. I recommend using one or the other as it adds a bit of fresh green flavor that livens up the rest of the dish.

Eric Ripert’s recipe advised adding the entire batch of sofrito to the beans. I liked it, but Rick felt it was overwhelming. If that’s a concern for you, consider adding half to the beans or just serving it on the side to be added at the table. Leftover sofrito can be stored for a week or so in the fridge.

Beans, Squash and Sofrito

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Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

For the beans

• 1 can about a pound black beans, drained and rinsed or 2 cups prepared beans
• 2 cups chopped and peeled butternut squash or other winter squash
• salt pepper and other seasonings to taste (I used thyme and some cumin.)
• 2 tablespoons oil

For the sofrito

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced (about a cup)
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper any color is fine
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

• Prep all the vegetables before starting.
• Heat some oil in a large skillet and fry the squash for several minutes until it takes on some color on all sides.
• Add the beans and about 2 cups of water (I filled the can the beans came in)
• Season to taste and reduce the heat to a simmer, add more water as needed to prevent the pan from drying out. Cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
• While the beans and squash are cooking make the sofrito by heating some oil in a small skillet, then adding the onions, peppers.garlic and oregano. Saute for several minutes until the vegetables have softened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Allow it to wilt in the heat of the pan.
• Stir the sofrito into the beans and squash, taste and adjust the seasonings, then serve as desired..

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The exact measurements aren’t that important when making this dish. I try to eyeball equal amounts of beans and squash and estimate half the amount of beans to determine how much onions and peppers to use for the sofrito. When making beans, squash and sofrito for the blog I used a single can of black beans and cut up the rest of the veggies based on the can size. Along with the rice, it was plenty for two people. You can easily double or even triple the recipe to suit your family’s needs. You’re not limited to serving it over rice, either. Cook the beans and squash with a little more liquid to make a sauce and it can be served over pasta. Or you can choose to use it as a filling for soft tacos or lettuce wraps.

Variations:

Oil free vegan – omit the oil and steam saute the vegetables in water or vegetable broth

Plan ahead – Make a batch of roasted butternut or other winter squash and reserve 2 cups for this recipe. You could do the same with the beans. Measure the cooked beans into 2 cup portions and freeze or store in the fridge until needed.

I’m sharing this recipe with the bloggers of I Heart Cooking Clubs where it’s Potluck week! We’ll be preparing recipes from past and present featured chefs.