Butternut Squash and Apple Bake

A wonderful combination of flavors, making a delicious winter meal.

Vegan. Hands-on time: 15 mins. Total time: 45 mins.

Contributed by Janey Macleod (December 2005).

I've served this appetizing dish many times, always with great success. It's equally suitable for informal family meals and elegant dinner parties. The apple and the squash complement each other perfectly, while the crispy nut topping makes an excellent finishing touch.

Served with potatoes or rice, the quantities given here will make three to four portions.

Ingredients

• 4 - 6 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into slices
• 2 - 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 - 6 mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
• ½ cup (4 fl oz, 120 ml) of water or vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• ½ cup (2 oz, 50 g) of chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 cup (3 oz, 75 g) of breadcrumbs
• 1 large cooking apple

Method

Oven: Pre-heat to 375F (190C).

Heat half the oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and cook for five minutes or until it starts to brown. Add the carrot, celery, mushrooms and squash. Continue cooking over a medium heat for five to ten minutes. Then add the water or stock along with the seasoning. Simmer gently for a few more minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.

In a separate pan or skillet, gently sauté the nuts in the remaining oil. After a few minutes, stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat.

Finally, peel the apple and cut it into small chunks (don't do this ahead of time or the apple will turn brown). Transfer the vegetables to an oven-proof dish and add in the apple. Cover with an even layer of the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake in the oven for half an hour, or until the topping is a golden brown.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.