Default dishes

Squashes… pumpkins… squashes… mmm… pumpkins… They make such delicious soup it’s sometimes easy just to automatically make it! but there are loads of other recipes available using these vegetables in all sorts of different ways, on their own as the main item of a meal like in a quash risotto or with pasta, or as an accompaniment – roast, fried, mashed, creamed, however you might want them to suit the main event! you can have them hot, or cold, in salads or with salads, in stews, in curries, casseroles or bakes, sweet or savoury, in bread, cakes o puddings… the combinations ad variations are endless!

I have a squash sitting in the vegetable rack, and rather than just make soup which is what I generally do I’m going to do something different! I’ve got a very nice recipe using chicken, walnuts and sage… but as I’m not very keen on sage, I find it a bit soapy, I’m going to use another herb – maybe tarragon?

It’s so basic – put a couple of pounds of chicken pieces (with skin on, so legs and thighs would be great) in the oven in a roasting pan skin side up,  with some chopped up onions, seasoning and olive oil; roast for about 25 mins at gas mark 7, add chunks of squash, chopped walnuts (4 oz) and herb of your choice – I think I’ll definitely use tarragon… or maybe marjoram, a splash of wine or sherry vinegar, return to the oven, making sure the chicken pieces are skin side up. Cook for another 25 or so minutes, and there you are! Yum!