Chicken, Squash and Chickpea Traybake

I fancied making something quick and simple for tea tonight, and something that would provide a simple lunch for tomorrow into the bargain. This certainly fitted the bill.

Serves two for supper and two for lunch the following day.

Ingredients

300g of diced Chicken Breasts

1 Large Butternut Squash peeled, de-seeded and chopped into 1cm dice

1 Green Pepper chopped into 2cm chunks

1 400g can of Chickpeas, drained

Handful of Cherry Tomatoes or 3 larger tomatoes, diced

1 medium sized onion (red would be best) sliced into half-rounds

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Salt and Pepper

Method

Put everything into a roasting tray, as large as possible you want to have everything in a single layer if possible.

Put roasting tray into an over 180C for 40 minutes, give everything a toss and turn after 20 minutes.

Serve with a minty yoghurt dressing, or just lemon juice. A green salad would be a nice addition as well.

Baked Pumpkin Pilaf

Despite the calendar saying that it is June and we should be sipping G&T out on the patio while eating a light salad, we are instead getting blown around by gale force winds and soaked in thunderous showers. So instead of that light salad here is a warming rice dish to keep the cold of this British summer at bay. Serves 3.

Ingredients
1 Butternut Squash (peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks)
225g Rice (long grain - I use a mix of white and wild rice but brown would work as well)
1 large onion sliced into half moons
1 thumb sized chunk of ginger peeled and sliced into matchsticks
2 cloves garlic cut into slivers
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 large handful of green lentils
3 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
5 cardamom pods lightly crushed
olive oil
6 cherry tomatoes halved
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
Handful of chopped coriander

Spread the chopped squash in a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the ground spices. Shake to cover and bake in a medium-hot oven (160C) for 20 or so minutes, shaking half way through.

Meanwhile fry the onion in a large casserole with a little oil until it starts to colour and then add the garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, cloves. Fry briefly and then add the rice and lentils. Stir again to coat everything with the oil then add the stock and bring to the boil.
Put the lid on the casserole and stick it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Take the rice from the oven and stir in the roasted squash and the halved tomatoes. Put the lid back on and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the rice and lentils are cooked and the liquid has all evaporated.

Serve with yoghurt and mango chutney.

This could also be served as a side dish to accompany some pan fried chicken breasts, a vegetable curry or some spiced fish fillets.

Roasted Squash and Porcini Risotto

Another meal that was designed to use up the contents of my Abel and Cole vegetable box. A pair of onion squash in the box and I didn't want to make soup or roasted veg with sausages and so this risotto was born.
Serves 3.

Ingredients
2 small onion squash or one butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
1 sprig rosemary chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 an onion or a couple of shallots finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed.
2 knobs of butter
small handful of dried mushrooms
1 litre vegetable stock (maybe a little more or a little less)
250g risotto rice
large handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water until softened. 
Roast the squash with the rosemary, 2 tablespoons of the oil and salt and pepper in a moderate oven until softened and slightly caramelised around the edges.
Meanwhile fry the onion and garlic in the remaining oil and 1/2 the butter until softened, add the rice and stir to coat. Add the mushroom soaking water (avoiding any gritty residue) and stock gradually to the rice until cooked. Stir in the mushrooms and the roasted pumpkin. Add the Parmesan and the last of the butter and stir and leave to stand for a few minutes. Serve with some extra Parmesan shavings.

Roasted Squash Risotto

On a cold and icy evening with snow still lying on the ground I felt a need for a warm, creamy, satisfying meal. Fortunately a friend had given me a home grown butternut squash perfect for a risotto. Serves 2.

Ingredients
225g risotto rice
2 knobs of butter
glug of olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite-size chunks
1 sprig of rosemary
vegetable stock & pinch of saffron
1/2 handfuls of grated Parmesan

Toss the squash with a good glug of oil along with the rosemary, salt and pepper in a hot oven, shake occasionally.
Meanwhile make the risotto. Melt the butter with a glug of oil in a wide pan and add the onion and garlic and fry until softened. Add the rice and stir. Add the stock gradually until the rice has softened. Add the roasted squash, the cheese and another knob of butter.