Roasted squash with feta + preserved lemon

This recipe features in the October edition of Hampshire Life magazine with wine matches from The knackered Mother’s Wine Club.

Vegetables are increasingly the star of the show in my kitchen. The vegetable drawer is often my first port of call when choosing what to cook and in October, it is often home to squashes of all shapes and sizes.

This month’s recipe is all about balance; tempering the sweetness of the squash with salty feta and sour preserved lemon, and adding a crunchy garnish to compliment its soft flesh. It’s endlessly customisable to take into account personal preference and the ingredients you have to hand. Don’t have parsley? Use coriander. Nut allergy? Use pine nuts or crispy fried onions for texture.

If you haven’t tried Briddlesford’s feta-style cheese before, you’re in for a treat! The milk from their Guernsey herd gives the cheese a golden hue and a deliciously creamy texture.

Roasted squash with feta + preserved lemon

Serves 4

• 2 small butternut squash
• 3 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
• ½ tsp ground cumin seeds
• ½ tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1 preserved lemon
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 200 g Briddlesford feta style cheese
• 1 handful salted pistachio nuts, shelled and roughly chopped
• ½ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes

For the tahini sauce:

• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 4 tbsp tahini paste
• 2-3 tbsp cold water

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200 fan) / gas 7.
2. Cut the top and bottom off the squashes, then cut them in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Cut each half into 4-6 long wedges, then brush with oil and arrange, skin side down, in a roasting tin. Sprinkle the squash with cumin and coriander, then season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Roast the squash for 35 minutes or until tender all the way to the centre, turning occasionally.
4. Make the tahini sauce by stirring the garlic into the lemon juice with a big pinch of salt. Add the tahini paste and stir until it starts to thicken, then stir in enough cold water to make a pourable sauce.
5. Quarter the preserved lemon, then remove the seeds and any tough pieces of membrane. Thinly slice the rind.
6. When the squash is cooked, transfer it to a serving plate. Scatter over the parsley, feta-style cheese, preserved lemon, chopped pistachios and chilli flakes. Serve the tahini sauce on the side for drizzling over at the table.

Featured producers

Butternut squash – Sunnyfields – Totton – 02380 861266

Feta-style cheese – Briddlesford Farm Dairy – Isle of Wight – 01983 882885

Herb plants – Pepperpot Nursery – Alton – 07979 960603