Southwestern Ground Beef Stew with Pumpkin and Almonds

Pumpkin dissolves into this aromatic stew without thickening it; the body instead comes from the ground chiles.

1⁄4 cup almonds, fi nely chopped

4 Californian or New Mexican dried red chiles, seeded, deveined, and torn into large pieces

2 dried ancho chiles, seeded, deveined, and torn into large pieces

21⁄2 cups chicken broth

6 ounces bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound 90% to 93% lean ground beef

1 small pumpkin, about 11⁄2 pounds, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 11⁄2-inch pieces

3 plum or Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt, or more as needed

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring almost constantly, until lightly browned and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
• Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the chiles and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour the contents of the skillet into a food processor fi tted with the chopping blade or into a large blender; process or blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon; cook, stirring often, until frizzled, about 5 minutes.
• Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Crumble in the ground beef; cook, stirring every so often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the pureed chili mixture, then stir in the reserved toasted almonds, pumpkin, tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
• Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly, stirring once in a while, until the pumpkin is tender, about 25 minutes. Check for salt before serving.

Makes 6 servings