Name: Stuffed butternut squash with feta
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 long shallots chopped; 2 cloves garlic crushed; 200g basmati rice; 400ml vegetable stock; 1 lemon zested and juiced; 4 tbsp raisins or dried cranberries; ½ small bunch oregano leaves picked and chopped; ½ small bunch dill chopped; 2 tbsp pine nuts toasted; 100g feta; 320g winter greens or spinach steamed

Two butternut squash halves stuffed with feta, rice and sultanas

1 large butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
2 long shallots
chopped
2 cloves garlic
crushed
200g basmati rice
400ml vegetable stock
1 lemon
zested and juiced
4 tbsp raisins or dried cranberries
½ small bunch oregano
leaves picked and chopped
½ small bunch dill
chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts
toasted
100g feta
320g winter greens or spinach
steamed

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut the squash in half through the middle, and remove the seeds using a spoon. Rub with half the oil, season and put, cut-side up, on a baking tray. Roast for 40 minutes.
step 2
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium pan. Fry the shallots for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, fry for 30 seconds, then add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat in the shallots and oil.
step 3
Pour in the stock, lemon zest and juice, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the raisins, most of the herbs and almost all of the pine nuts. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed.
step 4
After 40 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and use a spoon to scoop out some of the flesh from the middle, creating a hollow (chop and stir the flesh into any left-over rice, or use in another recipe).
step 5
Fluff the rice with a fork, then spoon into the hollowed-out middles of the squash. Crumble over the feta. Turn up the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and bake the squash halves for 10 minutes until the feta is golden and crisp. Scatter with the remaining herbs and pine nuts, and serve alongside any remaining rice with the wilted spinach or winter greens.