Once again, I had some winter squash that needed using up, and I happened to recently come across a reference from the journals of Lewis and Clark about a stew they were fed by the Mandan/Hidatsa while wintering at Fort Mandan. They referred to stew of pumpkin, chokecherries, beans and dried corn. I thought that sounded good, so I gave it a try.
I added some stew beef (buffalo would have been better) and a few spices, but otherwise pretty much stuck with the basics as described. I used parched sweet corn, pinto beans, dried cherries, and butternut squash, and added some dried sage and salt and pepper, plus a dash of balsamic vinegar, as it was a bit too sweet for my taste otherwise.
I started by browning the beef, then added the dried pintos and water to cover, and simmered until the beans were nearly done, then added the dried cherries and parched corn, and cooked until the beef was starting to get tender, then added the chopped squash, and cooked it until it was soft but not mushy.
Served with green salad and cornbread, it made a nice Fall dinner.