Butternut Bells – Squash Stuffed with Lentil, Nuts and Apricots

Ingredients

For the bells

• 2-3 small butternut squash

For the filling

• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 300g cooked Puy lentils, drained and rinsed
• 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 100g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 100g pine nuts
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 20g dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 15g raisins
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sage, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp vegan stock powder mixed with 100ml boiling water
• A pinch of salt and pepper

For the garnish

• 1 raw beetroot, peeled and cut into very small cubes (approximately 2mm)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, roughly chopped
• A pinch of smoked paprika

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2. Individually wrap the butternut squash in foil and bake them in the oven for around 50 minutes (depending on the size) or until soft. Set aside and allow to cool down.
3. While the butternut squash are cooling, start to make the filling. Gently fry the onion in the oil for 5 minutes, then add all the other ingredients for the filling and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste. Once finished, set aside.
4. Once the squash are cool, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds along with a little of the flesh.
5. Add the filling mixture to the squash and bake for a further 10 minutes.
6. To serve: Put 1/2 a butternut on a plate and garnish with beetroot, herbs and paprika.