White Bean Braise with Delicata Squash, Parsnips, and Purple Cabbage
Dana Treat Original
Serves 3-4

I used a more colorful variation of delicata squash for this recipe.  I find parsnips to be a little woody, so I like to cut them into quarters, and then cut out the core.  You can use canned beans here but be sure to add them right before serving since they have a tendency to fall apart.

1 small purple cabbage, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tbsp. unsalted butter (or olive oil to make this dish vegan)
1/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large fennel, cored and diced
1 small (about 1 pound) delicata squash, seeded and cut into 1″ pieces
1 large parsnip, cored and cut into 1″ pieces
1 tbsp. each of fresh sage and rosemary
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups vegetable broth
1 small bunch of kale, leaves only,torn into 2″ pieces
1½ cups white beans
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup quinoa
1¼ cups water

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Over medium heat, add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring often, until the cabbage starts to soften, about 7 minutes.  Pour in the cider and bring the heat up to a boil.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the cabbage is very soft, adding more cider if the pan gets to dry.  It will need about 25 minutes from start to finish.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a braiser or other wide shallow pan over medium heat.  Pour in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and then stir in the onion and fennel along with a large pinch of salt.  Sauté, stirring occasionally until both are soft but not brown, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the squash and parsnip then the herbs and give it all a good stir.  Pour in wine and the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.  Keep it at a simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, until the vegetables are all tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the kale and cover the pot again.  Cook until the kale is wilted, about another 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring the 1¼ cups water and the quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add a pinch of salt, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low.  After 15 minutes, fluff the quinoa with a fork, then replace the lid for another 5 minutes.

Just before serving, add the beans to the vegetables and taste again for seasoning.  Place a scoop of quinoa in a wide shallow bowl and ladle out some of the vegetables with their liquid.  Top with the purple cabbage and serve.  (You might have leftover cabbage but you won’t mind.  It’s delicious.)