This time of year, as the days shorten and the air chills down, it is time almost to be thinking of hearty stews but with conference pears at their very best and the occasional warmer spells here is one for such days.
If you have a butternut squash to hand – this is a delicious and easy recipe to try.
Sarah Raven suggests that this dish can be used as a side dish without the rocket (perhaps with pan-fried lamb or pork fillet), on its own as a first course warm salad with the rocket added at the last minute, or simply as a salad, served cold.
Serves 6
- About 1kg prepared butternut squash cut into large chunks
- Herbes de Provence infused olive oil (stratta)
- Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
- 3 firm pears, peeled, cored and sliced in to 4 pieces (Tom Maynard http://www.maynardsfruit.co.uk/) (In the picture above we were prepping for quite a crowd!!)
- Butter
- 4 handfuls of rocket or mixed salad leaves
- Finely chopped winter savory or rosemary
- Slivers of Lord of the Hundred cheese (http://www.traditionalcheesedairy.co.uk/)
Toss the squash in the olive oil and seasoning and roast in the oven (170C/gas mark 3) for about 45 minutes until softening and beginning to char.
Sauté the pears in the butter with the herbs until the pears are slightly brown but still crunchy.
Scatter over the salad leaves when cool and top with slivers of cheese.