It’s been wet and foggy the past two days and as such has put me in the mood for vegetables I would usually cook in the cooler months.
That said, there’s absolutely no reason why squash shouldn’t be included in a summer dish. When I think of the winter squash family, butternut always comes out on top. It’s sweet to begin with but when roasted nothing beats the caramelized flavor of browned edges. Butternut squash doesn’t really need doctoring but experimenting with different seasonings such as cumin, allspice, anchovies, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, truffle oil, rosemary, sage, lemon juice, and so on will only heighten your senses making butternut squash a superstar veggie!
Serves 2 to 4
1 butternut squash, skin washed and scrubbed
1 cup couscous
1 cup water or stock
ground cumin
1/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup sliced basil leaves
extra-virgin olive oil
white balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves
Preheat oven to 400f (200c). Slice squash, brush with olive oil and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle cumin over slices. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until soft.
Place couscous in a bowl and add boiling water or hot stock. Add a tablespoon of butter, cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand at least 5 minutes to allow liquid to be absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
In a bowl, lightly toss mixed salad leaves and chopped mint with olive oil, splash of white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. To plate, add some salad leaves, a couple of squash slices, a spoonful of couscous and repeat layering. Top with sliced basil leaves. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: It’s not necessary to peel the squash. If you don’t fancy the idea of slicing the squash, you can peel the skin and chop into cubes. Enjoy!
- 1 butternut squash, skin washed and scrubbed
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water or stock
- ground cumin
- ¼ cup roughly chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup sliced basil leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- white balsamic vinegar
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- mixed salad leaves
- Preheat oven to 400f (200c). Slice squash, brush with olive oil and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle cumin over slices. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until soft.
- Place couscous in a bowl and add boiling water or hot stock. Add a tablespoon of butter, cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand at least 5 minutes to allow liquid to be absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- In a bowl, lightly toss mixed salad leaves and chopped mint with olive oil, salt and pepper. To plate, add some salad leaves, then a couple of squash slices, a spoonful of couscous and repeat layering. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.
- The Culinary Chase’s Note: It’s not necessary to peel the squash. If you don’t fancy the idea of slicing the squash, you can peel the skin and chop into cubes. Enjoy!
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