Roasted Gem Squash with Mushrooms and Cream

Gem Squash - plated outsideServes 6

  • 6 gem squash
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated on a fine microplane grater or crushed to a puree with salt
  • salt and pepper
  • 300ml double cream
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 600g mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Wash the gem squash and add them to the boiling water. Cook for about 4 minutes, with some slight flexibility depending on size of your squash.

Scoop out with a perforated spoon and place on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool at room temperature.

When cool, slice off the top quarter and put on one side. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and throw them away. Transfer the gem squash to a baking sheet.

In a jug mix the olive oil with 1 clove of grated garlic (or a third of the puree), salt, freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves. Divide this mixture between the 6 Gem squash. Replace the lids and roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the flesh is beautifully soft.  (Aga:  Cook bottom set of runners in the Roasting Oven for about 20 minutes, turning once.)

Meanwhile, place the double cream in a saucepan. Add 1 cloves of grated garlic and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves, picked off the stalks. On a very low heat, allow to simmer. The cream will thicken very slightly and infuse with the flavours of the thyme and garlic. Season to taste.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over a very low heat, add the final clove of grated garlic and, once the oil has taken on some of the flavour of the garlic but not coloured, add the mushrooms. Turn up the heat and toss until the mushrooms are golden and coated in the garlicky oil. Season. Then add the chopped parsley.

Fill the remaining space in the cavities with cream and divide what’s left between six shallow soup plates. Place the gem squash in the centre of a pool of cream and top the squash with the garlicky mushrooms. Some will fall to the side. Add the squash ‘lid’.

It’s particularly lovely served with warm walnut or hazelnut bread.

Eat.