The butternut squash of Alain Ducasse

The butternut squash of Alain Ducasse

In his amazing recipe book, « Nature », Alain Ducasse has picked out recipes that are an ode to sustainable and seasonal cuisine. And since it's Fall, here is the divine recipe for an oven roasted e butternut squash, simple but highly gastronomical.

Preparation (30min) :

Prepare the butternut

Wash and dry the butternut squash, then cut it, horizontally, one third in length. With a small spoon remove all the seeds.

Wash, dry and leaf the mint and the parsley. Keep two thirds in a bowl for the end. Slice up the bacon in 3cm long slivers.

Cut the anchovy filets in two and the olives in four lengthwise. Peel the garlic clove and cut it lengthwise into six to nine slivers.

With a corkscrew, pierce twenty holes in the flesh of the squash, by being careful not to also pierce the skin which is very thin. Fill up with the herbs, garlic, olives, anchovies and bacon. Delicately push in with your fingers.

Cook the butternut

Heat the oven to 180°C (th. 6). Pour the kitchen salt in a baking dish. Place the squash on top and season with a dash of olive oil. Place the hat on top.

Bake for 1h at 1h30, depending on the size of the squash. Verify the cooking by planting a knife inside: it should meet no resistance.

Finish and serve

In the bowl with the extra herbs, pour a dash of olive oil, add a pinch of salt and mix.

Once the squash comes out of the oven, let it sit for ten minutes. Lift the hat, place the herbs, then reposition it. Bring the dish to the table. Everyone will serve themselves with a spoon.

Nota Bene - What imagination, Chef! Your baked butternut squash is really amusing. For sure, you need a little to fill up the holes, but it’s worth it to impress your friends.

Paru le 15 octobre 2015 chez Alain Ducasse Edition, 35€

Auteurs  : Alain Ducasse, Paule Neyrat et Christophe Saintagne Photographe  : Pierre Monetta

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Ingredients

1 butternut squash

1/4 bouquet of mint

1/4 bouquet of parsley

1 slice of 1-cm thick bacon

5 filets of anchovies in oil

2 tablespoons of pitted black olives

1 garlic clove

500 g kitchen salt

Olive oil

Salt

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