Vegetarian mains
Griddled Squash, Butterbeans & Salsa Verde
This dish was a hit at one of the Field Kitchen’s ‘feast over fire’ events. Diners ate amongst the veg patches and inside the polytunnels whilst we cooked over fire pits and wood-fired ovens. The smokiness from charring works well with the squash’s natural sweetness. The Italian salsa verde adds the acidity this dish needs - it’s a punchy herb sauce.
Cook's notes
Salsa verde can be adapted to suit your own taste. Add a little garlic and vinegar to begin with, then taste as you go. You can make it ahead of time, but it will lose a little of its vibrancy - both visually and in flavour.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, peeled, halved & finely sliced
- 1 small butternut squash, top & bottom cut off, then cut into quarters lengthways, & seeds scooped out
- 1 400g tin butterbeans
- 10g rosemary, leaves stripped off the stalk & finely chopped
- 200g spring greens, stripped off their stalks & finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
- 15g mint, finely chopped
- 15g parsley, finely chopped, stalks & all
- 2 tbsp capers, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar - add to taste
- 1 lemon
Method
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Step 1
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan. Gently fry the onion for 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then. You’re aiming for them to be nicely cooked and caramelising, but not burnt; add a splash of water if they look like they are catching.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5.
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Step 3
Heat up a griddle pan or just a frying pan if you don’t have a griddle pan. Drizzle the squash wedges with a little oil and season with salt. When your pan is hot, place each of the squash wedges onto one of their cut sides and push them down to griddle. Griddle for two minutes on each of the cut sides so you’re left with nice griddle marks. If you’re using a frying pan, aim to get a little colour on them as best you can.
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Step 4
Take the griddled squash out of the pan and place on a baking tray (no extra oil is needed here). Roast for approx. 20-25 minutes, until they’re tender and pierce easily with a knife.
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Step 5
Whilst your squash is roasting, add the butterbeans (with their liquid) to the now caramelised onion.
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Step 6
Add the chopped rosemary to the butterbeans and onion.
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Step 7
Heat 1 tbsp of oil and 1 garlic clove (whole, peeled) in a large saucepan (one with a lid or use a baking tray to cover) on a medium heat. Add your greens and a splash of water. Place a lid on the saucepan so they steam for 2 minutes, then take them off the heat.
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Step 8
Finally, make the salsa verde. Put the chopped mint, parsley and capers in a bowl. Finely grate in garlic to taste (if unsure, start with half the clove) and add the mustard and half the vinegar. Give this a good mix, then gradually add enough olive oil to make a dressing to a consistency of your liking, adding more vinegar and garlic to your taste, if you like.
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Step 9
To the greens, add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, to taste. Check the seasoning of the butterbeans then spoon onto a plate along with the lemon greens. Top with 2 wedges of grilled squash each and finish with the salsa verde.