Recipe: Roscaldo Butternut Squash

You will need:

Whole butternut squash
Feta cheese
Pomegranate seeds
Coriander
Greek Yoghurt
Red Pepper
Red Onion
Garlic clove
x 5 Preserved lemon

This recipe requires a little prep at home. In a roasting dish place the roughly chopped red pepper, quartered red onion (skin removed) and garlic cloves along with some salt and some olive oil. Roast until the papers are soft and the onions are slightly crispy. Tip the content of the roasting dish into a food processor and blend along with the skin (scoop out the flesh) of one preserved lemon. Once blended mix with a couple of tablespoons of greek yoghurt and place in a container to be stored in your cool box.

Cooking the butternut squash is as simple as throwing it whole on the embers of the fire skin and all. You don't want to place it where the flames are, instead place it on the outer edge where the hot coals are. It will take about 1.5/2 hours depending on how big your squash is so its the kind of thing you want to be able to throw on early and let it slowly cook whilst you are getting on with other things. It will need turning throughout the cooking time to make sure it evenly cooks. I tend to do this every 20-30mins or so. Its not an exact science as there are so many varying factors but keep a fork handy or some tongues to give it a squeeze. When you feel it going soft on one side its times to turn it over.

Once it is soft on all sides pull it out of the fire. It may resemble a lump of coal itself by this point but rest assured that the story is quite different on the inside. Slice into the blackness and you will be met with sunshine. Scoop out the seeds and splay the squash on a board. Drizzle your yoghurt dressing over the squash and crumble feta cheese all over the top of it. Top with some fresh coriander and some pomegranate seeds.

This is a great side to other main dishes such as chicken or turkey. Simply scoop the flesh out of the charred casing and serve.