Choctaw Stew

Every Sunday in winter my dad would announce that he was making “Choctaw Stew.” I never knew what the significance of this stew was other than the makings are very simple and indigenous, but he said that as he grew up in McAlester and Muscogee, his mother also made it at least once a week. It tasted best in summer when the family garden was producing. The base of the stew is rather boring to my taste, so the peppers and *garlic are my additions.

Ingredients:

Three peeled white potatoes
*Six large peeled carrots
One large chopped white onion
Cooked corn off of five cobs
Three cups green beans
*One cup sweet peas
*Five cups broth of your choice
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
*Garlic to taste (optional)
Jalapenos to taste (optional)
Chopped yellow squash (optional)
One cup chopped roasted green chiles (optional)

Put all ingredients into a large pot until it boiled. Simmer for at least one hour, adding more broth when needed.
I prefer to add all the ingredients to a large crock pot and let it cook on high for at least six hours—put it together in the morning when you leave for work and it’s ready for dinner.

*Old World ingredient