Gusting wind drove the rain into our windows and drummed against the house. Branches snapped as they whipped the trees and tumbled to the ground, dragging brothers as they fell.

We squelched in muddy boots to tend to chickens and compost, fingers pink and tingly from the chill. Then a tiny hand pointed out the first bloom of fire in our trees — summer is coming to an end.

Of course, I’m not quite ready for shoveling driveways and scraping windshields, but I am an autumn baby, and I’m ready for my season to begin.

With soup season just around the corner, I have been searching for new and interesting soups to warm our tummies. The basics like chicken noodle or beef and potato stew don’t appeal to me right now, and even my favorites like tantan ramen or Thai curry soups aren’t exciting enough for my recently extra adventurous palate.

I needed to find something I had never tasted before and, after a lot of scrolling, I found a recipe that intrigued me enough to try.

This west African peanut stew isn’t terribly obscure, in fact it is a common and beloved dish for many, but I had never tasted it before and was thrilled to give myself another opportunity to expand my mind.

This dish is often made with chicken, but my version is vegan. This nutritious, calorie-dense stew is rich and complex with layers of flavor and depth, perfect for after a chilly day in August rain.

West African Peanut Stew

Ingredients:

½ yellow onion, diced

1 small red bell pepper

¼ cup minced garlic

¼ cup minced ginger

1 can crushed tomatoes

3 cups chopped collard greens

1 large sweet potato (about 2 cups, cubed)

½ cup roasted peanuts (unsalted or lightly salted) plus more for garnish

1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional, but highly recommended)

the juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon clove

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

2 tablespoons coconut oil or peanut oil

Directions:

Saute the onion and bell pepper in coconut or peanut oil until translucent.

Add in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant.

Sprinkle on the spices and cook for just a minute, stirring constantly.

Add the cubed sweet potato, crushed tomatoes, and stock and bring to a boil.

Stir in the peanut butter and turn the heat down to a simmer.

Cook until the sweet potato is tender, then add in the collard greens.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the greens are very soft.

Gently stir in the butter beans and cook another 3-5 minutes. The stew should be very thick and not at all soupy.

Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Taste and season with extra salt or lemon juice.

The sweet potatoes should be very soft and falling apart when ready to serve.

Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro, extra chopped peanuts, sliced serrano pepper (the fat in the peanut butter tames the spice, so don’t be shy) and serve with steamed rice or toast.