BAKED SQUASH WITH COCONUT, CORIANDER & LENTILS

This recipe is from On The Pulse by Georgina Fuggle. I bought the book some years ago, and this is one of my favourites. Fantastic, this time of year, we served it on Christmas Day, and it was a roaring success.

Prep Time 20 minutes  ¦  Cook Time 1 hour  ¦  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 300G butternut squash, ideally the base end that holds the seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing and drizzling
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 3 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 large green chilli, sliced into rounds
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 400g can green lentils, drained and rinsed
• 160ml coconut cream
• Freshly chopped coriander, to garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200⁰C/180⁰C fan/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
 
Prepare the squash by peeling the skin using a vegetable peeler (I used organic squash and washed it; I didn’t peel it). Slice into 2cm rounds, removing seeds – aim for 5 slices. Brush each round with oil and lay on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, turning halfway through until soft.
 
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and gently fry over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, chilli and ground coriander and fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the lentils and combine. Stir through the coconut cream with 3 tablespoons of cold water and season generously.
 
Transfer the mixture to a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Remove the squash from the oven and nestle the rounds into the lentil mixture. Return to the oven and bake for a further 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter over a little fresh coriander. Serve with a little extra drizzle of oil if liked.

Enjoy

Geraldine Fitzpatrick