Butternut squash with lentils
December 15, 2009
Do you ever look at a recipe that has a list of ingredients so long you find yourself drifting off halfway through? Much as I love the look of his dishes, I’m afraid this is what usually happens when I read Yotam Ottolenghi’s page in the Weekend Guardian. I’ve cut out so many of his recipes – but never cooked one of them. However, if the main ingredients are things I like and am happy cooking with, what I often do is pick out a few things and make my own, simpler version.
That’s what I did with my supper on Saturday night. Yotam’s original recipe was for root mash with wine-braised shallots. Which, in my kitchen, became butternut squash, lentils and shallots, with thyme and red wine vinegar. I’d never thought of combining lentils with squash before, but it is a very tasty and satisfying way of cooking these two humble ingredients. I ate it with a couple of grilled rashers of bacon, but it is easily substantial enough for a meal in itself – perhaps with some greens on the side, if you feel the need.
And the cupboard was bare… 
December 15, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I was given the Ottolenghi cookbook for my birthday yesterday. The recipes look absolutely superb, but it’s certainly not a cookbook for when you want to rustle up something quickly. But I like having recipe books you turn to as a treat, as well as the old standards.
December 16, 2009 at 10:11 am
I also have just bought the Ottolenghi Cookbook and the recipes look amazing, I have tried one or two and they are great, unusual combinations sometimes but they really work, chargrilled brocolli with chilli and garlic was very good but as you say are quite time consuming and not something you can rustle up quickly when you want a quick snack but I have lots of lentils in my cupboard so I’m going to try your recipe today and see how I get on.