Nutty bleu cheese butternut squash
Christmas dinner
Originally uploaded by dynamist.
I’m in London for the holidays, and have been avoiding the computer at all costs in favour of real relaxation. That has included consuming some of the best food I’ve had all year.
This has been one of the best dishes, and one of the simplest, courtesy of Nigella Lawson. Simply cut up a butternut squash, toss with oil and lots of thyme, and roast in a hot oven. When the dish emerges, scatter over some bleu cheese and toss with chopped pecans. The cheese melts into the hot squash and gives it a subtly pungent flavour – but only if you go easy on the cheese. I’d say that a handful per large gourd will do; it would be tempting to add more, but too much would overwhelm the sweet squash.
There was a brief debate over whether it would have been nicer without the skin on the gourd, but I really like how it can go quite caramelised (though this would happen most easily in a metal baking dish) and tell myself that all the nutrients are right under the skin. Others would have preferred the skin off, for reasons of texture and digestion. It’s a small matter, and this dish packs a big taste. I hope someone makes it for me again soon.