Roasted Squash With Lentils And Nuts Recipes

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH LENTILS AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pick any debris from the lentils, then rinse the lentils under running water. Transfer them to a medium saucepan, then add the cinnamon, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Add enough water to cover everything by 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and let simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils, discard the cinnamon and garlic, then transfer the lentils to a large bowl.
• While the lentils cook, prepare the squash: Trim and discard the top and bottom ends of the squash. Peel the squash, halve it lengthwise, and remove and discard the strings and seeds. Slice the squash crosswise 1/4-inch thick and place the pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast the squash until completely tender, slightly caramelized and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Once cool, add to the lentils.
• While the squash cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, honey, cumin, cayenne and black pepper. Taste and season to taste with salt.
• Sprinkle the feta, scallions and pumpkin seeds over the lentils and squash. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the lentils and squash. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the remaining dressing on the side.

ROASTED SQUASH WITH LENTILS AND NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.Cut the squash in two lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the seeds (which can be kept for later use). With a brush, baste a bit of olive oil on the flesh of the squash. Place the squash, flesh side up, on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes.While the squash is cooking, prepare the stuffing:In a pan on medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.Add the garlic, dried thyme, and salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.Add the chopped walnuts and lentils. Mix and remove from the heat.Check if the squash is cooked: a fork should easily be able to pierce the flesh. If ready, go to the next step. If not, bake for another 10 minutes.Use a spoon to remove almost all of the flesh, leaving a 2 cm layer in the squash. Transfer the flesh to the pan with the stuffing. Use a fork to break it up and incorporate it into the stuffing.Stuff each half of the squash with the stuffing, making sure to press it down.Gently add one squash half on top of the other to form a stuffed squash. Use cooking twine to keep both halves in place.With a brush, baste the skin of the squash with a bit of oil. Season with salt and pepper.Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the squash is golden and soft. Set aside.While the squash is baking, prepare the sauce:In a pan on medium high, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chopped shallots and cranberries. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze with the cider vinegar and add the chopped sage. Add the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.To serve, cut the squash into slices of about 2 cm. Top with the warm sauce and sage leaves (optional).Source: Loounie

WARM ROASTED SQUASH AND PUY LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Toss the butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic clove, thyme leaves and seasoning. Roast for 25-30 mins or until tender.
• Mix together the balsamic vinegar, ½ tbsp olive oil, the wholegrain mustard and 1-2 tbsp water. Drain the puy lentils in water and toss with the dressing, red onion, spinach and cherry tomatoes.
• Divide the lentils between four plates. Top with the squash, then crumble over Cheshire cheese and pumpkin seeds.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Toss the butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic clove, thyme leaves and seasoning. Roast for 25-30 mins or until tender.
• Mix together the balsamic vinegar, ½ tbsp olive oil, the wholegrain mustard and 1-2 tbsp water. Drain the puy lentils in water and toss with the dressing, red onion, spinach and cherry tomatoes.
• Divide the lentils between four plates. Top with the squash, then crumble over Cheshire cheese and pumpkin seeds.

ROAST SQUASH WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & PUY LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Toss the kale lightly in the oil, ½ tsp salt, sesame and chilli, massaging the leaves until coated with the oil and seasoning. Arrange the leaves in one layer in a roasting tin or baking tray - you might need to use more than one to keep them in an even layer. Roast for 15-20 mins until crisp and dry but not brown.
• Once dried, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Wash the seeds to remove the sticky membrane, dry them with kitchen paper and set aside. Cut the squash into 1cm thick slices (don't worry about peeling them), and arrange on a baking sheet or in a roasting tin. Drizzle over 1 tbsp oil, season, then turn and drizzle with a little more oil. Season again and roast for 30-40 mins until tender and caramelising, turning halfway through. Remove from the oven.
• Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat until it's shimmering. Add the sage leaves and fry for 15-30 seconds, turning them once. Remove using tongs or a slotted spoon, place on kitchen paper and scatter with sea salt. Add the pumpkin seeds to the hot oil and fry for a few mins until puffed and crunchy. Drain the oil into a bowl and whisk with the red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Dress the lentils with half the dressing, then spoon onto the plates or serving platter. Arrange the crispy kale and squash on top, crumble over the goat's cheese, and drizzle over a bit more dressing. Finally, top with the fried seeds, and crumble over the amaretti biscuits and crispy sage leaves.

COOK-FROM-FROZEN SQUASH NUT ROAST

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and toss the squash with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Tip into a roasting tin and cook for 30 mins, turning halfway, until cooked through and golden at the edges. Tip into a bowl.
• Put the porcini mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 10 mins before scooping out and finely chopping. Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the button and porcini mushrooms and the onion for 10-15 mins until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated and the veg has started to caramelise. Tip in the garlic and rosemary and cook for 1 min more. Tip into the bowl with squash and add the breadcrumbs, lentils and all the nuts. Season, mix well and taste for seasoning. Add 50ml of the porcini soaking liquid - you want the mixture to be moist but not wet. Use a fork to mash the everything together - you want it to come together almost as a dough, not separate components.
• Line a 900g loaf tin with a long strip of baking parchment. Spoon half of the butternut squash mixture into the bottom of the tin, pressing to prevent any gaps. Lay the courgette slices in an even layer on top, then add a layer of roasted red peppers and finally the remaining squash mixture, pressing again. Leave to cool completely, then wrap tightly. Will keep frozen for up to three months.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Unwrap and bake the nut roast from frozen for 1 hr, or until a small knife slides through easily and it is piping hot in the centre.
• For the spiced nut topping, tip all of the nuts onto a baking tray, toss with a little salt and the spices, and bake in the oven along with the roast for 8 mins until browned slightly and smelling toasty. Put the caster sugar into a small pan with 75ml water and heat until the sugar has melted. Tip the nuts into a bowl and toss with the sugar syrup, then return to the baking tray and bake for 10 mins more until sticky. Turn the roast out onto a platter or board and top with the spiced nuts and the parsley.