Stuffed maple squash and Freekeh

This is a perfect cold-weather meal: really warming and hearty with all the autumnal flavours you could want, with the goodness of some lovely whole-food ingredients to keep you nice and toasty.

 

Makes 2 SERVING

Equipment needed: oven, chopping board, knife, spoon, baking tray, frying pan, saucepan

Total Time: 60minutes

 

Ingredients: 

For the butternut –

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 tsp coconut oil (solid)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 10g fresh thyme

For the stuffing –

  • 100g freekeh
  • 500ml water
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms (dried mushrooms, such as porcini, would also work well)
  • 1 red onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 10g fresh thyme
  • 20g dried sour cherries
  • 30g pecans, chopped into small pieces

 

Method: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
  2. To prepare the butternut, use a sharp knife to top and tail it and then cut lengthways down the middle. Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits using a spoon. Next, slice a criss-cross pattern across the flesh – this ensures the butternut can soak up all of the coconut oil (helps it to cook quicker).
  3. Drizzle the oil (the oil can be melted in advance, or spread on solid). Sprinkle on the cinnamon and thyme leaves.
  4. Place on a baking tray and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. It may take longer depending on the size of the butternut; just keep an eye on it (and cover with foil if you think it’s at risk of burning). It should turn a lovely caramelised brown and should be soft, but not mushy.
  5. While the butternut is cooking, prepare the freekeh. Simmer it in water for about 15 minutes.
  6. Chop the onion, garlic and mushrooms and heat the oil in a frying pan. Cook on medium heat with the dried chilli flakes until the onions are soft and lightly browned. Add the thyme leaves, cherries and pecans and give it all a stir, helping the cherries to absorb the lovely flavours. The aroma is amazing! Add the freekeh, stir to combine and remove from the heat.
  7. To serve, pile some spoonfuls of the lovely stuffing into the butternut and reserve some for the table..