We’ve had enough of winter weather down at the Fresh Farm. The wind is howling at the barn doors and people’s muddy wellies are causing havoc with the shag pile. That’s why we’re eating for the weather we want. It’s a bit like the food version of a Native American sun dance. Combining the creamy, nuttiness of roasted butternut squash with the chewy deliciousness of giant couscous, this recipe will brighten up dinnertime if nothing else!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
2
Butternut Squash
1
Red Onion
3
Garlic Clove
2
Lemon Thyme
½
Vegetable Stock Pot
(Contains Celery, Sulphites)
½
Giant Couscous
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
1
Lemon
2
Tahini
(Contains Sesame)
1
Pine Nuts
1
Wild Rocket
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Pre-heat your oven to 220 degrees and peel the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut the squash through the middle (widthways) to separate the bulbous bottom from the top. Cut the bulbous part in 1⁄2 lengthways to expose the seeds. Remove the seeds with a spoon.
Chop the squash into roughly 2cm chunks. Coat the squash in 1⁄2 tbsp of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Peel the onion, cut off the root and slice into quarters. Peel 2 garlic cloves and squash them with the flat side of your knife. Toss together the onion, garlic and squash with the thyme leaves (disregarding the sprigs) and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook in the oven for 25 mins until the squash and onions are soft and browned.
Bring a medium sized pot of water to the boil with 1⁄2 the stock pot and add the giant couscous. Cook the giant couscous for 6-8 mins until soft enough to eat. Tip: Drain the couscous once ready, place back in the pan and cover with a clean tea towel.
Finely dice half the other clove of garlic, sprinkle on some salt and mash to a paste with the flat part of your knife. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, tahini, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp water and season with a little salt and pepper. Tip: It should be the consistency of runny honey.
Place the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for a couple of mins. Tip: Watch carefully as nuts have a tendency to burn when you’re not looking!
Remove the butternut squash and onion from the oven and crush the softened garlic clove with the back of a fork. Pour in the cooked couscous, the rocket leaves, a good squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tbsp olive oil. Gently fold everything together in the baking tray.
Serve into wide bowls and finish with a good drizzle of the lemon-tahini sauce and a sprinkle of pine nuts.