Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized squash

4 tbsp olive oil 100g wild rice

1 large fennel bulb 1 cooking apple

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tbsp fennel seeds

½ tsp chilli flakes

30g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

1 large pack parsley, roughly chopped

3 tbsp tahini Pomegranate seeds, to serve

Method:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6

Cut the squash in half lengthways and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and pithy bits

Put the squash on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well

Roast in the centre of the oven for 45 mins or until tender

Meanwhile, rinse the rice and cook following pack instructions, then spread out on a baking tray to cool

Thinly slice the fennel bulb and apple, then squeeze over ½ the lemon juice to stop them discolouring

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan

Fry the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, then, once the seeds begin to pop, add the fennel

Cook for 5 mins until softened, then mix through the apple, pecans and lemon zest

Remove from the heat

Add the mixture to the cooked rice, then stir in the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning

Pack the mixture into the cooked squash and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until everything is piping hot

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lemon juice with the tahini and enough water to make a dressing

Serve the squash topped with pomegranate seeds and the dressing