- 1 butternut squash
- 75g bulgar wheat
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- A handful of sage, leaves only
- 1 lemon
- A pinch of dried chilli flakes
- 400g tin of chickpeas
- 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 50g peppery salad mix
- 2 tsp + tbsp olive oil
- 150ml boiling water
- 4 tbsp cold water
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Pop the squash on a baking tray and brush each half with 1 tsp oil. Slide into the oven. Roast for 30 mins to soften the squash (for a quicker cooking method, see our tip below). While the squash roasts, tip the bulgar wheat into a small bowl and pour in 150ml boiling water. Set aside to soak for 15 mins.
- 2.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Warm a frying pan over a medium heat for 2 mins, then add the onion with 4 tbsp water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Steam fry, stirring now and then, for 5 mins till it has started to soften and pick up a little colour.
- 3.
While the onion fries, peel and crush and grate the garlic. Finely chop the sage leaves. Finely grate the zest off the lemon. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- 4.
Stir the chickpeas into the onion, then add most of the sage (keep some back for garnishing), all the garlic and lemon zest. Add a pinch of chilli flakes (they’re spicy, so use as much or as little as you prefer). Stir to mix well.
- 5.
Take the pan off the heat. Drain any excess water off the bulgar wheat and stir it into the chickpeas. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from 1 half into the pan.
- 6.
When the squash has roasted for 30 mins, take it out of the oven. Drain off any excess liquid. Scoop out as much of the butternut squash flesh as you can, leaving a ½ cm wall around the edge of the squash. Add the butternut squash flesh to the chickpeas and stir it to mix.
- 7.
Spoon the chickpea mixture into the butternut squash shells. Slide back into the oven and roast for 20 mins, till the squash and chickpea stuffing are both golden.
- 8.
While the squash roasts, squeeze the remaining lemon half into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp balsamic and ½ tbsp olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to make a dressing. Add the salad leaves and toss to mix.
- 9.
Serve the stuffed squash halves with handfuls of salad on the side—garnished with the remaining sage.
- Tip
Dinner in a flash
Speed up the cooking of your butternut squash by halving and popping onto a heatproof bowl. Loosely cover with cling film and pop into the microwave. Cook for 10 mins, till tender.