Butternut Squash with Ginger Tomatoes and Lime Yoghurt

I know I am probably a bit late to the party, but this week I have finally got around to watching Chef's Table on Netflix. I am only up to episode three, but I am already hooked. If you want an insight into what drives some of the world's most celebrated chefs to create food that is in every sense a unique journey and feast for all the senses, this is it.  Each of the chefs featured so far, from the incredible Massimo Bottura of Michelin three star Osteria Francescana in Modena to Niki Nakayama of N/NAKA in LA, each have their own story. They do have at least one thing in common, they all share the same integrity and respect for their chosen ingredients.

One UK chef and restauranteur that certainly shares that ethos is Yotam Ottolenghi. His latest cookbook NOPI, a collaboration with Ramael Scully from their restaurant of the same name, is a sumptuous affair. The moment it appeared on the shelves of a well known bookstore where I can normally be found lurking most Saturday afternoons, I wanted it.  As I sat leafing through the gilt lined pages, the glorious photography alone made me hungry.

Ottolenghi is perhaps best known for turning the most humblest of vegetable into something divine, but this book also has plenty to please carnivores. There are plenty of recipes that I was dying to try including NOPI's famous Twice Cooked baby chicken with Chilli Sauce and Kaffir Lime Leaf Salt, but it is this dish - Butternut Squash with Ginger Tomatoes and Lime Yogurt that I decided to make first. The butternut squash and tomatoes take a while to slow roast, but otherwise the dish takes care of itself, leaving you free to get on with other things. The caramelised sweetness of the butternut squash is just lovely combined with the sticky chilli heat of the tomatoes and the coolness of the lime yoghurt. I have made it again since and decided to tone down the salt, garlic and chilli a little from the original recipe as I found it a little overpowering, but you can of course always increase the quantities to suit your own taste.

Butternut Squash with Ginger Tomatoes and Lime Yoghurt

Slightly adapted from a recipe from NOPI by Yotam Ottolenghi & Ramael Scully

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 3 hours

Total time: 3 hours 10 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash - approximately 800g

• 45ml olive oil

• 6 large plum tomatoes - approximately 500g

• 3cm (25g) piece of ginger, finely grated

• half a fresh red chill, de-seeded and finely diced

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 30g dark muscovado sugar

• sea salt flakes (I use Malden) and black pepper

  Lime Yoghurt

• 120g Greek Yoghurt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• finely grated zest of 1/2 unwaxed lime, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice.

  To Serve

• Small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped.

• 30g cashew nuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

• 10g crispy shallots, optional (I bought mine ready prepared from Waitrose)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 240C/220 fan/Gas 9.

2. Cut the squash in half lengthways, do not peel it, just trim each end. Remove the seeds and cut into thick slices (approx. 2.5cm) widthways.

3. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and add the squash slices along with 2 table spoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

4. Toss the squash so that it is coated with the oil and roast for 45 minute to one hour until the squash is golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin.

5. Reduce the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas 3

6. Line another dish or tray with baking paper. Slice the plum tomatoes in half and place in the tray, skin side down.

7. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a pinch of salt, spoon over the remaining olive oil and bake for 80 minutes until soft.

8. Meanwhile mix the grated ginger, crushed garlic clove, chopped red chilli and muscovado sugar in a small bowl with a pinch of salt to form a paste.

9. Take the tomatoes out of the oven and spread a little of the paste on top of each one.

10. Return the dish to the oven and cook for a further 40 minutes until the tomatoes have caramelised and then leave in the dish to cool.

11. Mix the Greek yogurt, ground cardamom, lime zest and juice together in a small bowl to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste and put in the fridge until the dish is ready to serve.

12. Arrange the squash slices on a platter, interspersed with the tomatoes.

13. Drizzle the yogurt dressing over, sprinkle with toasted cashews, chopped coriander and crispy shallots, if using, and serve.