Serves 4
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, approx 750g
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion
1 garlic clove
¼ tsp crushed chilli
1 lemon
4 flourishing sage leaves or ½ tsp dried
1 ½ chicken stock cubes
3 tbsp thick cream
Freshly grated nutmeg

Method
Boil the kettle. Heat the oven to 400F/gas mark 6. Use a heavy, sharp knife and halve the squash lengthways. Scrape out the seeds and cut into long wedges, approx 3cm wide. Smear with oil, arrange on a roasting tin and roast for 25 minutes until burnished and tender. Slice the flesh off the skins, chop and add to the onions — which you have, meanwhile, peeled, finely chopped and softened in the oil with chopped garlic, chilli, zest from half the lemon and chopped sage. Dissolve the stock cubes in 750ml boiling water, add to the pan and return to the boil. Adjust the heat so it simmers steadily, partially cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes to unite the flavours and ensure the squash is very soft. Liquidise in batches with the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, lemon juice and freshly grated nutmeg. Good stirred with cooked prawns or a crumble of feta cheese.

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