Butternut Bells Recipe

A sumptuous golden centrepiece that’s perfect for the festive season!

Serves

4-6

Preparation time:

15 minutes

Cooking time:

1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2-3 small butternut squash (each one approximately 650g)

For the filling:

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

100g walnuts, roughly chopped

3 tomatoes, roughly chopped

15g raisins

20g dried apricots, roughly chopped

300g tinned Puy lentils, drained and rinsed

100g pine nuts

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp vegan stock powder mixed with 100ml boiling water

1 tsp sage, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the garnish:

1 raw beetroot, peeled and cut into very small cubes (approximately 2mm)

1 tsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1 tsp fresh sage, roughly chopped

½ tsp smoked paprika

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Individually wrap the butternut squash in foil and bake them in the oven for around 50 minutes (depending on the size) or until soft. Set aside and allow to cool down.

3. While the butternut squash are cooling, start to make the filling. Gently fry the onion in the oil for five minutes, then add all the other ingredients for the filling and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste. Once finished, set aside.

4. Once the squash are cool, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds along with a little of the flesh.

5. Add the filling mixture to the squash and bake for a further 10 minutes.

6. To serve: garnish with beetroot, herbs and paprika.

Recipe courtesy of The Vegetarian Society. www.vegsoc.org

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