KITCHEN LOG #1 - CAPTAIN'S FAVORITE BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY

The first time I ever cooked for the crew of The Howler, I hadn’t even unpacked my knives. They’d fished me out of a government ship that smelled like boiled cabbage and medical grade iodine. I’d been their cook for two years— uniform pressed sharp, hair trimmed to “regulation” length, meals measured by the ounce. Nothing was an art, it was slop.

Nobody laughed in that galley. You could hear the hum of the lights over the sound of people chewing.

Then Captain Rowan 'Shady' Vance found me. He boarded our vessel, killed our men, and took our supplies. They were originally going to kill me alongside the other men on board. But I guess I got labeled supplies- so here I am.

Captain told me if I wanted to keep around, I better earn my keep. He told me to make a meal worthy enough to trade for my life.

So I made curry—the way my brother used to when we were little. Butternut squash and apples and too much turmeric because he never measured a thing. We measured with our hearts, and our stomach.

It was the feeling of being home, and for the first time in a long while, I felt… warm.

Now the Captain calls it his favorite. I call it the dish that earned me a new family and permission to grow my damn hair out.

Your Curry Powder

  • 2 Tbsp cumin powder

  • 4 Tbsp turmeric powder

  • 3 Tbsp paprika

  • 2 Tbsp ginger

  • 3 Tbsp garlic

  • 1 Tbsp pepper

  • Âź cup soy sauce

Your Curry Base

  • 2 red bell peppers

  • 1 butternut squash (cut in half)

  • 3 cups coconut milk

The Main Attraction

  • 4 cups chicken stock

  • 1 yellow onion

  • 2 apples (the sweeter, the better)

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • 4 carrots

  • 6 medium potatoes

  • 1 bag spinach

Other Essentials You'll Need

  • Salt

  • Olive Oil

Step One: Roast your Curry Base. Cut your butternut squash in half and set it face-down on a parchment lined baking tray. Do the same for your bell peppers—seeds removed, skin-side up. Drizzle both with oil and a pinch of salt, and roast them for an hour at 425°F. The peppers should be wrinkled, and the squash should be very moist.

Step Two: Prep your filler. While that roasts, dice your apples (finely), onions (neatly), and chicken (bite-sized, you don't want to choke). Chop your carrots into disks and cube your unpeeled potatoes. I said unpeeled. The skin is good for ya.

Step Three: Blend & Mash. Once your roasted vegetables have cooled, peel the squash, cube it, and mash it all together with the bell peppers, coconut milk, soy sauce, and all the spices. But you're outside of a pirate ship- so put it all in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth- it'll be the color of a golden sunrise.

Step Four: Simmer. In a dutch oven, braise your chicken with the onions until everything is a beautiful golden. Add your potatoes, apples, carrots, and chicken stock. If your chicken stock doesn't cover the top of your ingredients, add a little water. Close the lid of your dutch oven and let it all cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes start to soften.

Then, pour in your curry blend. Stir until the whole thing looks like it's incorporated. Simmer for another 20 minutes. If you’ve got the patience (or a long watch ahead), keep it on low for an hour to deepen the flavor.

Step Five: Serve It. Garnish with dried parsley. Share it with your friends. Serve hot over bread or rice.

If you make it right, it’ll taste like home—even if you’ve been at sea for a long, long time.

Sometimes Captain gets it into his head that food ought to be eaten “with something fancy on the side.” I told him we were pirates, not princesses—but I made this anyway. Turns out he was right. (Don’t tell him that.)

Your Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain jasmine rice, rinsed until clear

  • 2 cups coconut milk

  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Some Optional Additions

  • Juice and zest of 1 lime

  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

  • Chopped cashews for a bit of crunch

Make It: Rinse your Jasmine Rice until the water comes out clear (I know different cultures do it different, but for this recipe, you will need to do this, okay?) Combine the rice and coconut milk in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, cover it, drop the heat low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes—just until the liquid’s gone.

Pull it off the heat, keep it covered for 10 minutes, then salt it and gently fluff it with a highly specialized device- a fork. If you’re feeling extra fancy and have the ingredients, stir in lime juice, cilantro, and cashews for extra flair.