Although this started off as a Christmas-time recipe, I have found that I cook it pretty much year round: the sweet squash is tangily countered by the blue cheese and the nuts bring gorgeous crunch, though the gentler rubble of toasted pine nuts can be happily substituted.
INGREDIENTS
Serves: 6-8METRICCUPS
- 2 kilograms butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 stalks fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 100 grams pecan nuts
- 125 grams crumbled roquefort cheese (or other blue cheese)
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF.
- Halve the squash, leaving the skin on, and scoop out the seeds, then cut into 2.5cm / 1 inch cubes; you don’t need to be precise, just keep the pieces uniformly small.
- Put the squash into a roasting tin with the oil. Strip the leaves from 4 stalks of thyme, and sprinkle over the butternut squash. (If you can’t get fresh thyme, use dried.) Roast in the oven for about 30-45 minutes or until tender.
- Once out of the oven, remove the squash to a bowl and scatter the pecans and crumble the cheese over it, then toss everything together gently.
- Check seasoning and add the last of the thyme, torn into small sprigs to decorate.
