The three are corn, beans, and squash. The Native Americans taught us to plant the three sisters together. They help each other like we people should do. The corn is a straight stalk. The bean vine will wrap around the corn stalk. This makes the corn stronger and the beans have support to grow upon. The squash with its broad leaves covers the ground and hampers the weeds.
This recipe uses corn, beans, and squash, plus carrots and spices. It is vegetarian and delicious.
The Three Sisters:
A Stew of Beans, Corn, and Squash By Chef
Traci Barr, JustFaith Grad, and Facilitator.
Of all the recipes, why does this humble one matter to me so much?
Because it metaphorically represents the most important aspect of what I’ve
learned during my JustFaith experience. First recognized by the inherent wisdom
of indigenous North Americans, the Three Sisters is a quintessential example of
“companion planting”—a perfect agricultural (and nutritional!) synergy.
Considered sacred, this symbiotic technique is even represented on the reverse
side of the very first Native American U.S. dollar coin.
As the Three Sisters
story goes, beans are planted right next to corn, whose tall stalks create a
natural “trellis” for their upward-climbing vines. In return, the bean plants
capture nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil through their roots,
replacing what the corn plants naturally take from the Earth. With their large,
prickly, and low-to-the-ground leaves, squashes make for edible ground cover,
keeping away weeds and insects—and also providing shade for the roots of the
corn and beans. Even tenacious critters like hungry raccoons stay away from the
vexing leaves of a squash plant. In turn, the corn grows taller, which helps
the bean plants produce an even greater yield. And, of course, more people
eventually get fed at the dinner table—the best possible outcome. But … the
real lesson? We are all connected. Even when we are as “different” from each
other as are corn, beans, and squash. We can do so much more when we work
together. Our lives are enriched when we intentionally engage with—or
purposefully plant ourselves next to— people who experience the world in an
entirely different way. There is no “us” or “them”—unless we choose to label
and think of ourselves as so. In this context, the whole truly is greater than
the sum of its parts.
Just like a really good stew! The Three Sisters Stew
2
tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions,
diced 2 large carrots,
diced
2 large celery stalks,
diced 2 bay leaves
4 large garlic cloves,
minced 2
teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh
rosemary
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups
cooked pinto beans (canned, drained, rinsed beans are fine)
1 quart vegetable
stock (you might not need it all)
2 cups corn kernels (freshly cut from the cob
is best, but frozen is fine, too)
½ cup rough chopped parsley, if desired, to
garnish
Instructions
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch-oven style
pot. Add diced onions, carrots and celery. Sauté over medium-high heat until
vegetables have started to get tender and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add
bay leaves, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper and minced rosemary. Sauté
until garlic is very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add butternut squash chunks,
pinto beans, and half the vegetable stock to the pot. Stir everything together.
Add more stock at this point if you think it’s necessary — but remember that
the squash will release a bit of liquid as it cooks. Reduce heat and simmer
until the squash is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes (longer if chunks are
bigger).Add stock if necessary, to maintain stew-like consistency. Add corn to
pot and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and remove bay leaves. Season with
additional kosher salt and black pepper, if desired. Garnish with chopped
parsley.
