Beef Tzimmes with Butternut Squash

This is a Faye Levy recipe for the local weekend paper. Tzimmes can be made with meat or without. We usually have it without, as a side dish, but with meat it makes a great main course, very seasonal with the leaves turning color in the fall. This is not only perfect for Rosh Hashana, it's also great on Passover, and even for Thanksgiving.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  lbs  boneless lean beef chuck, trimmed of fat
• 1 -2  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  large carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 -2 1⁄2 cups water
• 2  lbs  butternut squash
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1⁄4 cups prunes, pitted

Directions

1. Cut beef in 1 1/2- 2 inch pieces and pat them dry.
2. Heat 1 tablespoons oil in a heavy stew pan.
3. Add beef cubes in 2 batches, browning each lightly on all sides over medium-high heat and removing browned meat with a slotted spoon to a plate.
4. Add remaining oil if pan is dry and heat it.
5. Add onion and saute over medium heat, stirring often, until brown, about 10 minutes.
6. Cover if pan becomes dry.
7. Return meat to pan with any juices on plate.
8. Add carrots, salt, pepper and enough water to just cover.
9. Bring to a boil, skimming occasionally.
10. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or until beef is tender.
11. For a lighter sauce, refrigerate cooked meat and its sauce separately for several hours, then skim the fat from top of sauce.
12. Return the beef to sauce and reheat.
13. Peel the squash and cut it in half lengthwise.
14. Discard seeds and stringy parts in cavity.
15. Cut squash in 1 inch cubes.
16. Stir honey and cinnamon into sauce.
17. Add squash and push pieces into liquid.
18. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
19. Turn squash pieces over.
20. Add plums.
21. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
22. Taste and adjust seasoning.
23. Serve stew from a casserole or deep serving dish.