Miyar Taushe (Lamb and Squash Stew)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Put the lamb in a large lidded pot and add half the onion, plus the chile, ginger, garlic, bay leaf and 1¾ cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. (Alternatively, place the covered pot in the oven and bake until the meat is tender.)

2. Step 2

   Meanwhile, place the butternut squash on a small sheet pan, season the cut sides with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Turn cut sides down and bake (alongside the lamb, if it’s in the oven) until the skin collapses and the flesh is soft, 40 to 50 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Step 3

   In a small skillet, toast the nutmeg until it is fragrant and the smooth skin darkens, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Break it open with a meat mallet and remove the ridged seed. (The seed will probably be in fragments, which is fine.) Put the seed into a dry blender or a spice grinder with the pumpkin seeds; blend until finely ground.

4. Step 4

   When the lamb is tender, transfer it to a plate or bowl and discard the bay leaf. Let the lamb stock in the pot cool slightly, then pour into the blender. Add the tomato, peppers and the remaining onion, and blend, starting on low speed and increasing the speed as needed, until smooth. Return to the pot.

5. Step 5

   Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to the lamb broth, if you like, and simmer on medium-low. At the start of simmering, the peppers will give off a fresh, tart scent. After about 30 minutes, the scent will turn deep and savory as the peppers are tamed and the ingredients meld.

6. Step 6

   Into the same blender jar, scrape the flesh of the butternut squash (seeds and all, if using a high-powered blender) along with about ¼ cup water. Add the ground calabash nutmeg and pumpkin seeds. Blend until soft and creamy, adding more water as necessary.

7. Step 7

   Add half of the blended butternut squash to the simmering stew. (Reserve the remaining squash; cover and refrigerate to eat as a purée or freeze for a future stew.) Turn the heat down to low. Return the lamb to the pot (removed from the bones, if using lamb shank) and simmer until the flavors have integrated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. Step 8

   Turn off the heat and let rest about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put a small pot of water on to boil and fill a bowl with cold water. For each serving of stew, plunge a handful of spinach into the boiling water until just wilted, about 30 seconds, then briefly in cold water. Drain well and set aside.

9. Step 9

   Serve the miyar taushe topped with the blanched spinach and sprinkled with the chopped pumpkin seeds.