Baked butternut Squash, Onion and Parsnip au Gratin
Celebrate the autumn harvest with this tasty, vegetarian bake.
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced to thumbnail size
6 medium parsnips, 5 if they are large, 8 if they are small, peeled and cut into neat matchsticks
3 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, skinned and thinly sliced
1 rounded tsp medium strength curry powder
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ pint/300ml double cream
2oz/50g breadcrumbs, white or brown
2oz/50g butter melted
2 tbsp chopped parley
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Put the squash and the parsnips into a steamer and steam them until tender. Take them off the heat. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the onions, stirring from time to time, until they are beginning to caramelise. Stir in the curry powder half-way through. When the onions are colouring, add the steamed squash and the parsnips to the pan. Stir carefully, so as not to break up the vegetables, and season with salt and plenty of pepper. Oil a 4 pint/2.2litre ovenproof dish: it should be side and shallow rather than narrow and deep. Put the contents of the sauté pan into the dish. Pour in the cream. In a bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, melted butter and parsley, and scatter over the cream and vegetables. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
It will keep warm satisfactorily for 30 minutes before serving.