You're just seven steps away from having dinner with your dream woman/man chilli con squash.
A super easy taste of Latin America.
Food engineer: Lauren Wainwright.
*Feeds 4. Serve up in 45 mins max. Approx £1.50 per portion*
Ingredients:
· 1 butternut squash.
· 1 or 2 white onions.
· 2 gloves of garlic.
· 2 sticks of celery.
· 2 carrots.
· 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes.
· 1 packet of chilli con carne seasoning (A cheeky cheat. Don't worry we won't tell anyone...). Or smoked paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli powder if you have these kicking around!
· 1 can of chopped tomatoes.
· 1 can of red kidney tomatoes.
· 2 tbsp of tomato puree.
· 500ml of vegetable stock.
· 2/3 cubes of dark chocolate (optional).
· Vegetable/ rapeseed oil.
Method:
1) Chop the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes. Place on baking tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook butternut squash in oven at 180 degrees celcius for 20 mins.
2) Finely dice onions and garlic. Add, with 1 tbsp of oil, to a high-sided saucepan. Fry on medium heat.
3) Dice the celery and carrots, add to pan, and cook until soft.
4) Add the cherry tomatoes (whole), cooked butternut squash, and seasoning spice mix.
5) Add 500ml of vegetable stock, puree, can of chopped tomatoes, rinsed kidney beans. Grate in the dark chocolate (optional) for extra indulgence.
6) Season to taste and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
7) Plate up with a garnish of coriander and some fluffy rice (see the Cauliflower Korma recipe for how to make banging rice every-time).
Top tip: Leftovers are perfect for a lunchtime burrito #justsaying.
Level-it up with creamy guacamole and/or crunchy garlic bread (in the supermarket look for garlic bread made with margarine and not butter).
It's fair to say our food engineer Lauren knows her stuff when it comes to food. She studies Nutrition and Psychology at Newcastle Uni, has completed various cookery courses + has worked part-time at a cookery school! Expect more unreal recipes from Lauren in the future.