Recipe – Butternut Squash and Chorizo

Recipe Tip

This plate has an intensely Spanish ‘small plates’ feel, but you can add green vegetables to it to create a more balanced dish, north European twist, should you wish.

Butternut Squash and Chorizo

Introduction

As autumn draws in, the tastes and flavours that pattern our diets begin to change. We don’t necessarily require nor crave the lightness of the summer, with salads gradually giving way to meat and carb-influenced dishes. With that in mind, using the light, sugariness of a butternut squash, yet gently layering in meaty protein that can guide us towards the winter months, is a great way to embrace the season. What’s more, the versatility of the dish means it can be cooked for breakfast by leaving out the gnocchi, as a medium lunch, or combined with bread for an evening meal. Oh… and it tastes fantastic!

Method

1. Warm the oil on a medium heat and add the choppedup chorizo. Cook for around 5mins until it’s browned, and the oil begins to seep out, but turn down the heat when this happens so you retain moisture in the meat. Remove and keep to one side. 2. Now combine chopped butternut squash and onion, cooking over medium heat with an addition of oil, if needed. Stir until golden brown and tender, for 10-15mins. 3. Add your gnocchi to a pan of boiling water and cook for four minutes. Then drain. 4. Stir in the chorizo with the butternut squash and onion, and season with salt, pepper and lime, then serve with the gnocchi.

Ingredients

(serves four) 1 tsp of olive oil 300g chorizo 450g butternut squash 1 onion 500g gnocchi

Top Tips

• This is a flavour-driven plate that intends to combine sweet with spicy. Don’t be afraid to experiment further, adding sourness (in the form of lime), tomato flavours (which will also add moisture), and generous proportions of salt and pepper too. Let your tastebuds run away with you! • Be careful not to overcook your chorizo. Remember, considering it’s a food that can be eaten cold, it really doesn’t need much cooking at all, so lean on the side of undercooking. If you fry it for too long, it will become tough and unpalatable.