By Cody Leeson
The Three Sisters — corn, beans and squash — have long been grown together in a mutually supportive polyculture. Corn offers a natural trellis for climbing beans, beans help return nitrogen to the soil, and squash shades the ground to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Ingredients
- 8 cups corn, fresh or frozen
- 2 large onions, medium dice
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can pumpkin purée
- 2 cups butternut squash, large dice
- 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2–3 L vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup canola, olive or vegetable oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Cook the oil, onions, garlic and 6 cups of corn over medium heat until the onions soften.
- Add 2 L of stock and the pumpkin purée. Simmer for 20–30 minutes, until everything is soft enough to blend.
- Blend until thickened and mostly smooth, adding more stock if needed.
- Add the squash, remaining corn and green beans. Continue cooking until the squash is tender.
- Adjust the consistency and seasoning, then finish with lemon juice and serve hot.