Recipe: roast squash with tahini and dukkah

3rd January, 2022

A recipe from our cook, Antony

This is a simple version of a dish that I do many versions of. Often, I'll add other elements such as fresh baby spinach, crispy chickpeas, crispy kale or soused red onions among others. So feel free to get creative.

The recipe here is for more dukkah than you will need, but there’s little point in making a really small amount and it keeps well in a tub with a lid and is absolutely delicious and very versatile. It pairs well with pretty much any roast vegetable or you can sprinkle it over soups or dip bread in it. 

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Ingredients 

• 1 Crown Prince squash
• The seeds of 1 pomegranate

For the dressing

• 50ml of light tahini
• juice of one lemon
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, grated or crushed
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbs agave
• warm water to thin out

For the dukkah

• 70g hazelnuts, roasted and skinned
• 70g roasted almonds, roasted
• 30g roasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbs roasted cumin seeds
• 1 tbs roasted coriander seed
• 1 tbs roasted fennel seeds
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp flakey sea salt

 

Method

Peel the squash, cut it in half and scoop the seeds out with a spoon. Cut each half into half-moon shaped wedges, lightly coat in cooking oil and salt then roast at 200^oC for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and lightly coloured.

While the squash is in the oven, blend all the ingredients or the dressing. Use warm water to make it the consistency of loose mayonnaise.  It will probably thicken as it stands but you can thin it out again by whisking in a little more water.

To make the dukkah, crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar or pulse in a spice grinder. 

Crush the nuts in a pestle and mortar then mix all the ingredients together. How coarse you leave it is a matter of taste, but I would avoid turning the spices to powder.

When the squash has cooled slightly after roasting (but ideally still warm), dress with the tahini sauce, pomegranate and dukkah.