1 large butternut squash peeled (900g - 1kg in weight)
150ml double (heavy) cream
1 clove garlic (minced)
25g grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
15g grated mature cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg (divided into 2 portions of 1/8 tsp.)
a few knobs of butter
salt & pepper to taste
A 7"x9" or 8"x8" pyrex or ceramic baking dish
I only post my own creations on this blog as a general rule, but this one is so good I just had to post it. I did make a small change though. Originally the recipe called for just 25g of Parmesan & I changed that to Grana Padano & added some grated mature cheddar as well. The original recipe was given to me by a friend who discovered it in a publication & raved about it. I tried it & fell in love! My 7 year old son begs me to make it all the time & as raw squash can be quite hard to peel & cut when you haven't got chef quality knives, I like to get all the prep out of the way & not have to do it too often. I buy 2 squashes or a larger one & prepare 2 batches at once. This allows me to freeze a cooked batch of it to thaw & reheat another time.
Method:
Peel squash, then cut longer thinner part away from bulbous part & slice longer thinner part into circles about 1/2cm thick. Cut bulbous part in half lengthways, scoop out seeds with a spoon, then cut flesh into half-moon chunks. Put chunks into a saucepan with 200ml, cover with water, then put rounds on top. Cover with a lid & bring to a boil, then simmer for around 10 minutes or until all bits are easily pierced with a knife. Drain liquid & keep several rounds to one side (enough to make a top covering layer for your dish, so you can try laying them out in the dish you're using in order to judge how many you'll need). Next, mash the chunks & any remaining circles with 100ml of your cream, the garlic, a dash of salt, a dash of pepper, half of the Grana Padano & mature cheddar mixture & half of the nutmeg. Taste the mashed mixture to make sure you've used enough salt. The amount you use can vary depending on how sweet the squash is. Some people like this dish a little sweet, but I prefer it more savoury, so I just use little dashes of salt, mix & taste until it seems right. Bear in mind that when it's baked with all the caramelized cheese, etc, it does become a little more savoury. Err on the side of caution as you still want it to taste like squash & not be too salty. People can always salt their own portion if they like it saltier. When you're happy with the consistency & flavour, spread the mash evenly over the bottom of your gratin dish, then cover with a layer of the circles of squash & press down lightly to neaten. Dot the top with a few scattered small knobs of butter, pour over the remaining 50ml of cream & sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture & the other half of your nutmeg. Add another little dash of salt & pepper over the top to season the circles, then bake for 45 minutes (until bubbly & golden) at 180 Celsius (350 F) or gas mark 4. This is so so yummy & makes a great side dish with roast chicken or turkey.
before the oven...
bubbly, golden & ready to serve...
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