Cazuela, Mi Amor

I thought I'd share this recipe I discovered last year that I tweaked ever slightly. Pie Dude does not like squash, so I thought I'd swap the butternut for sweet potatoes. When I saw Japanese sweet potatoes at the Green Acres Farm stand at the Evanston Farmers' Market, I thought, what the hell. Since then I've been waiting to make this dish, and since Japanese Sweet Potatoes are now available, I thought I'd share this recipe. It comes from Taste of Home's Autumn Garden Fresh issue (1997) or online. It's quick, it's easy, and brother, it is tasty.

6 chicken drumsticks or thighs
Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 24 1- inch cubes (or Sweet Potatoes!)
6 small potatoes, peeled
6 pieces of fresh or frozen corn on the cob (2 inches each)
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) chicken broth
Hot cooked rice
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced fresh cilantro

In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, place the chicken, squash, potatoes, corn, carrots and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.
Serve over rice in a shallow soup bowl. Serve with hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper and cilantro.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

In Chile where I used to live, cazuela is a poorer but equally hearty dish. It consists of some kind of cubed squash, pieces of chicken, and white beans, in a vaguely tomato-based sauce. (Yes, I know, cazuela is really just the name for the pot it's cooked in.)

That I didn't know. I'll have to try it with beans & tomatoes next. Thanks!