So Autumn has arrived, I must say the colours on trees are beautiful. Warm oranges, bright reds and golden yellows. I think the squashes represent these colours so well. Cobnuts remind me Autumn too I love watching squirrels bury them away for the winter. I didn’t use much sage over the summer and I love it’s flavour so I have been adding it to lots of dishes recently. I wanted the soft roasted flesh of the squash to be the star so I thought I would keep it simple and add some feta. With the dressing I added a tiny bit of heat which really complimented the sweet flesh. This was a taste of autumn on the plate.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 medium squash, I used a red kobocha
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chilli oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Small bunch of sage leaves, torn
• Handful of cobnuts, de shelled
• Small sage leaves, picked
• Small bag of salad leaves
• Block of feta
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper
• Oil for frying

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of a small lemon
• 1 tsp honey mustard
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• Pinch of chilli flakes

Directions

1. pre heat oven to 180 degrees fan.
2. Prepare the squash by halving and scooping out the seeds and stringy dark flesh. Halve again so you have quarters.
3. Place the squash on a baking tray lined with grease foil. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, chilli oil and honey, drizzle over the squash quarters. Season well and rub the squashes all over. Rub the garlic cloves over the soft flesh and sprinkle over the torn sage leaves. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the flesh is soft. Set aside to cool so you can handle them.
4. Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat, add the cobnuts and toast for a few minutes on each side. Tip the cobnuts into a bowl. Leaving the pan on the heat add a glue of oil, add the sage leaves and fry for about 30-40 seconds until crispy, drain on kitchen paper.
5. Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients into a jar or bowl, shake or whisk to combine.
6. To assemble the salad share the salad leaves between to serving bowls. Scoop out the flesh of the squash with a spoon (keeping the garlic and sage) and place on the salad leaves. Crumb the feta over the squash and salad leaves. Add the cobnuts and drizzle over the dressing. Finish off with the crispy sage. Enjoy.