Roasted squash with sour cherries, spiced seeds & feta

1 of 5-a-day dinner party main dinner party side vegetarian main

N/A

Serves 4 as a main or 6-8 as a side

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small squash or pumpkins, seeds scooped out and reserved, then cut into chunks or wedges (leave the skin on if it’s not too tough)

2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

100ml red wine vinegar

2 tbsp clear honey

100g dried sour cherries

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

bunch mint , leaves picked

100g feta , crumbled

100g pumpkin seeds (if you don’t have enough from your pumpkin, add seeds from a packet)

1 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp coriander

good pinch of ground allspice

2 tsp olive or rapeseed oil

Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Arrange the squash or pumpkin wedges on the tray and drizzle with oil. Season well, put in the oven and roast for 35-45 mins or until tender (different varieties will take varying amounts of time, so check by pressing the flesh with a knife – it should be very tender when cooked).

Meanwhile, prepare the spiced seeds. Wash and dry the seeds from your squash, removing any stringy bits. Mix the seeds, spices and oil on another baking tray lined with baking parchment, season well and toss together. Put on the shelf below the squash and roast together for the final 10 mins, stirring now and then, until toasted.

Put the vinegar, honey and cherries in a small pan. Simmer gently for 2-3 mins until the cherries are plump and the dressing has reduced by half. Stir in a pinch of salt and the sesame oil, remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 mins.

To serve, arrange a layer of warm wedges on a platter. Drizzle over the syrupy dressing and cherries, the seeds and mint leaves. Finally, scatter with feta.