ROASTED STUFFED SQUASH WITH HERBY PISTACHIO SALSA

Roasted stuffed squash with herby pistachio salsa image

Make this impressive roasted stuffed squash for a vegetarian Sunday lunch. Serve a zingy pistachio salsa on the side to add freshness, texture and spice

Provided by Good Food team

Categories Dinner

Time 2h15m

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 750g)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
large knob of butter
2 small onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
large pinch of allspice
150g basmati rice
75g pomegranate seeds
150g vegetarian feta, crumbled
75g pistachios, finely chopped
100ml extra virgin olive oil
½ small bunch of dill, finely chopped
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 large green chilli, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced

Steps:

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Get a flameproof roasting tin ready that will fit the squash snugly (ours measured 22 x 18cm). Oil the squash and season with salt, then place cut-side down in the tin with an unpeeled garlic clove or 2 in the cavity of each half. Roast for 1 hr.
Once tender, carefully lift the squash halves and garlic onto a board. Melt the butter in the tin over a low heat, add the onions and cook gently for 10 mins until soft and caramelised. Splash in the vinegar and scrape any sticky bits from the base of the dish. Squeeze the cooked garlic from the skins and stir into the onions with the allspice and rice. Season well and pour over 350ml hot water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat, carefully wrap the tin in foil and cook in the oven for 25 mins with the squash placed cut-side up directly on the oven rack alongside.
Fluff up the rice with a fork and check it is cooked. If not and the tin is dry, add a splash more water, re-wrap in the foil and return to the oven for 5-10 mins. Scoop some of the soft squash out of the skins, leaving a layer of about 1cm in the skin. Mix the scooped-out squash into the rice, breaking it into smaller chunks as you mix. Add the pomegranate and feta and pack the rice mixture back into the squash halves, then put back in the tin, leaving any extra rice around the squash. Return to the oven for 10 mins.
Mix the ingredients for the salsa together in a bowl. When the squash is ready, spoon the salsa over the top, then cut into wedges to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 704 calories, Fat 46 grams fat, SaturatedFat 11 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 51 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 15 grams sugar, Fiber 9 grams fiber, Protein 16 grams protein, Sodium 1 milligram of sodium