Stuffed Butternut Squash...

This incredible savory dish is based on a recipe by my friend Sue, who is a very talented cook & photographer. It's highly adaptable, but the principle is simple - the squash is baked whole, then the flesh is scooped out and mixed with a few tasty ingredients before being returned to its shell for a final baking. It's ripe for experimentation, and children will enjoy inventing variations. I've included two suggestions at the end.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash or 2 small ones
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ cup butter
A little olive oil
½ cup walnut halves
~ lightly toasted and very coarsely chopped
7 ounce blue cheese, crumbled into lumps
2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon honey



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Clean the outside of the squash, then cut it in half lengthways, and scoop out the seeds. Place in an ovenproof dish, put some garlic and a nut of butter in each cavity, brush with oil, season well and bake for an hour, until the flesh feels very tender to the tip of a knife.

Scoop the flesh and buttery, garlicky juices into a bowl, leaving a ½ -inch thick layer of flesh attached to the skin, so it holds its shape. Roughly mash the flesh. Keep back a few bits of walnut and cheese, and fold the rest into the mash, along with the thyme and more seasoning. Spoon back into the squash halves, scatter on the reserved cheese and nuts. Drizzle the merest trickle of honey on top, and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.

Serves four

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George’s notes:

• Chop four rashers of smoked, streaky bacon into ribbons and fry until crisp. Stir into the mash with ¼ cup grated gruyère and lots of black pepper. Top with grated gruyère before returning to the oven.
• Add a teaspoon each of finely chopped basil, thyme and oregano to your mash, stir in a tablespoon or two of crème fraîche and season very well before returning to the oven.