Squash Sage Butter Bean Hot Pot Food

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook garlic in 1 tablespoon oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 1 minute. Add squash, broth, water, beans, tomatoes, and sage and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Mash some of squash against side of saucepan to thicken soup. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
• While soup is simmering, cook pumpkin seeds in remaining tablespoon oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until seeds are plump and lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt.
• Serve soup sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and additional cheese.

SQUASH, WINTER HERB & CRISPY BUTTER BEAN PIE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a mixing bowl, and add the butter and ½ tsp fine salt. Rub gently with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, or blitz in a food processor. Stir through the herbs, lemon zest and cheddar. Beat the egg yolk with 50ml cold water, add to the bowl and mix until it forms a dough. Add more water, 1 tsp at a time, until it comes together into a smooth dough. Wrap and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Toss the squash pieces with 1 tbsp olive oil and some seasoning. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 25-30 mins until golden and tender. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, put the cloves of garlic in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 mins, then drain. Wipe the pan dry, add the garlic back in with 1 tbsp olive oil and fry on a high heat for 2 mins until golden. Add the balsamic vinegar and 100ml boiling water, bring back to the boil then turn down and simmer for 10 mins.
• Add the honey, most of the rosemary and thyme and a good pinch of salt. Continue to cook on a medium heat for a further 3-5 mins, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the garlic cloves are coated in a dark syrup.
• Tip the cooled squash into a bowl and add the cheese, crème fraîche, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, a splash of Worcestershire sauce and the beaten eggs. Add a good pinch of salt and black pepper and gently fold in the garlic cloves.
• Roll out the pastry on a work surface dusted with flour to 3-4mm thick. Line a 23cm-diameter springform or loose-based cake tin with the pastry, ensuring a little spills over the edges (the pastry is quite short - you can patch up when lining the tin, if needed). Pour the filling into the pastry case.
• Pat the drained beans dry using kitchen paper and dress with a little olive oil, most of the lemon zest and a good pinch of salt, then scatter over the squash filling. Finish with the reserved rosemary and thyme, the sage, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 1 hr-1 hr 10 mins or until the filling has set and the beans have popped and are crisp. Trim the edge of the pastry to neaten.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little (about 20 mins), then take it out of the tin. Scatter the remaning lemon zest and more herbs on top and serve warm. Leftovers are great cold, too.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH & SAGE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until brown and soft.
• While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
• Pour in the wine and simmer until completely evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.
• At the same time, gently fry the whole sage leaves in a little olive oil until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the purée, then add the cheese and remaining butter and leave to rest for a few minutes. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash and the crisp sage leaves.