Hugh's Stuffed Butternut Squash

By Helen

Main Ingredients:

• Squash
• Stilton
• Walnuts
• Thyme and honey

Veggie Lent flashback.

I am standing in Tesco the day before cooking for a vegetarian friend trying to understand how meals are structured without meat at the centre. We have squash, yes, and it's full of good things, but what goes on the side? Potatoes? Nice bread? A pork chop? Thankfully the recipe was simplicity itself.

The squash (squashes?) were cut in half, brushed with oil and garlic and then roasted for 45 minutes. The centre was then scraped out and mashed with a good chunk of Stilton, toasted walnuts and some thyme, the mixture spread back into the skins and the whole lot cooked for another 15 minutes with a drizzle of honey.

After much thought I added a side of peas with spring onions, cream and parmesan, although a salad would have been just as good (if less seasonal). I was pretty pleased with this one - the sweet squash fell apart at the first touch of a fork and made a delicious hash with the cheese and nuts. 

The combination would be equally good on long pasta (rich cheese sauce, bright cubes of squash and just a sprinkling of nuts) or even spooned into ravioli - maybe when I have more time!

At £2.05 a head this was pretty affordable and very easy - I'd definitely do it again, or something like it.

Best for... Wintery nights in setting the world to rights

Taken from... Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - River Cottage Every Day

Chris says... Who knew we could find so many uses for butternut squash? I still fancied a pork chop on the side though...