{"id":1026,"date":"2014-11-10T18:07:00","date_gmt":"2014-11-10T18:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=1026"},"modified":"2015-08-04T11:16:50","modified_gmt":"2015-08-04T10:16:50","slug":"roasted-gem-squash-with-mushrooms-and-cream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=1026","title":{"rendered":"Roasted Gem Squash with Mushrooms and Cream"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shirley Conran very effectively sold the idea that ‘life’s too short to stuff a mushroom’ – but in the struggle against the relentless pressure on women to be ‘perfect’, why did the poor vegetable get it? \u00a0Now, if she’d written life was too short to clean windows or dust furniture \u2026 \u00a0I’d have agreed.<\/p>\n

I may be hurtling towards fifty but I’ve yet to lose my little girl love of individual portions and I particularly like it when nature does the portioning. \u00a0Maybe it’s just I’ve never learnt how to share properly? \u00a0Worrying thought.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Little gem squashes seem to be a bit overlooked in the UK. \u00a0At the supermarket you’ll find them, sometimes, alongside the more usual butternut squashes. \u00a0They are about the size of a large orange and have a sweeter flesh than a butternut, an edible skin and a perfectly formed stuff-able cavity when the seeds are removed.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

This is one of my Liddy’s favourite things to eat. \u00a0I normally use chestnut mushrooms, but since I knew these were going to have their picture taken I bought some fancy ones …<\/p>\n

\"Baked<\/a><\/p>\n

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the scrubbed gem squash for about 4 minutes. \u00a0If you’ve an enormous one, maybe a minute longer.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Once they’ve had their time, scoop them out of the water with a perforated spoon and set them to cool naturally.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Once they have cooled, cut the top quarter off to make a ‘lid’. \u00a0Keep the tops …<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

A teaspoon deals with the seeds.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Since the squash are partly cooked this is so easy. \u00a0None of that usual scraping you associate with the pumpkin family. \u00a0Throw the seeds away.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Strip the thyme leaves from their stalks. \u00a0Rosemary, chopped very fine, is a completely different flavour but a nice substitute if you don’t have any fresh thyme.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Mix together 100ml of olive oil (or rapeseed oil – England doesn’t have the climate for growing olives but does produce fantastic ‘nutty’ rapeseed oil \u2026), garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Place the gem squash on a baking tray and divide the oil evenly between them.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Replace the ‘lid’ and roast until soft.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, pour the double cream into a saucepan.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Add the garlic, salt, pepper and thyme leaves. \u00a0Over a very low heat infuse and slightly thicken the cream.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

In a large frying pan, gently warm a drizzle of oil and the final garlic clove, finely ‘microplaned’. \u00a0Add the mushrooms (about 100g per serving), then toss over a high heat until golden. \u00a0Add the chopped parsley.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Top up the oil with the warm cream and divide the remaining cream between the shallow soup plates. \u00a0Place the gem squash in the centre.<\/p>\n

\"Gem<\/a><\/p>\n

Top with the mushrooms and serve with the lid ‘artistically’ place to one side.<\/p>\n

Eat.<\/p>\n

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\"Gem<\/a>Roasted Gem Squash with Mushrooms and Cream<\/strong> – Serves 6<\/em><\/p>\n