Butternut Squash & Romesco Sauce

with Farro and Leeks

 

Serves 4 - 6
Preparation time: 45 mins
Cooking time: About an hour

Farro is an alternative grain, similar to pearl barley.  It is nutritious and tasty.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes

• 3 leeks, thickly sliced

• Olive Oil

• Zest of one lemon

• 200g / 7 oz Farro

• Fresh parsley

 

For the Romesco Sauce:
 

• 140g / 4 oz flaked almonds

• 140g / 4 oz cashew nuts

• Olive oil

• 50g / 2 oz granary breadcrumbs

• 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

• 1 jar of roasted red peppers (175g/6oz drained weight)

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon tomato puree

 

Method
 

1.     Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
    

2. Place the butternut squash into a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 50 minutes. Check occasionally and turn with spoon to make sure it all cooks in the oil.
    

3. In a large frying pan, cook the leeks in olive oil until soft and remove and set aside covered to keep warm.
    

4. Now cook the Farro in boiling salted water for about 40 - 50 minutes until softened with a bite. Drain.
    

5. Now to the make the Romesco sauce. Scatter the nuts on a flat roasting tray and roast for about 8 - 10 minutes, do not let them get too brown, remove and set aside.
    

6. Add some more oil to the frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs until golden, then add the garlic and smoked paprica and cook for a further minute.
    

7. Now transfer this mixture to a food processor together with the toasted nuts. Add the drained red peppers and blitz to a coarse paste with plenty of texture.
    

8. Add the tomato puree, vinegar and 6 tbs olive oil and give a quick pulse to mix.
    

9. Transfer the drained Farro into a serving dish, add the squash and leeks on top and then spoon the Romesco sauce on top of this.
    

10. Finally, garnish with some fresh parsley.