Stuffed Baked Butternut
Serves 4-6
1 large butternut
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
½ cup black quinoa or ancient grain mix (blend of quinoa, wild rice and black rice)
¼ cup chopped pistachios
¼ cup chopped dried cranberries 1 cup vegetable stock 2 store-bought roasted red
peppers
200g spinach leaves, wilted Soft fresh herbs, to garnish
HORSERADISH COCONUT YOGHURT DRESSING
1 cup coconut yoghurt
1-2 tsp vegan horseradish sauce,
to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan forced). Wash the butternut, then cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
Place the butternut halves, cut-side down, onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 45-50 minutes until just tender. Let the butternut cool. Scoop out the flesh to make a cavity for the filling, leaving a 1.5cm border all around. Roughly chop the reserved flesh and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add sage, quinoa, pistachios, cranberries and stock and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more stock if required. Season well. Stir in reserved butternut flesh.
Place a layer of red pepper into the base of each butternut. Top with a layer of spinach. Pack half of the filling mixture into each butternut half, then press the two halves together firmly and tie together with kitchen twine to secure. Brush the outside with a little olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Place into an oven dish and bake for 1-1¼ hours, until soft and cooked through. Cover with foil part way through if skin is starting to colour.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Transfer butternut to a serving platter, cut into thick slices and serve accompanied with the dressing. Garnish with soft fresh herbs.
SMART TIP
You can use fresh horseradish instead of the horseradish coconut yoghurt dressing.