Roasted Butternut Squash & Thyme Cottage Pie
A family favourite with a delicious twist!
This is the first recipe I’m cooking this year using BUTTERNUT SQUASH from my own garden. Prepare yourself because no doubt there’ll be other ones, as I have counted 12 of these beauties scattered all around the backyard. And guess what? All of them from two self-seeded plants which appeared in the veggie garden out of nowhere.
Lucky me, I guess, as they happen to be my favourite type of squash – I much prefer them to crown pumpkins, for example – as not only they are a lot easier to prepare, but also sweeter, nuttier and smoother than other types.
This afternoon, when thinking about what to do with this first butternut for today’s recipe, I knew I wanted to cook it in a way that would enhance its beautiful flavour and make it stand out in the final dish. Also, we had very windy and wet weather in Auckland today, and so, I was also craving for something comforting.
Finally, I decided a Cottage Pie with a flavourful, savoury mince, topped with a buttery roasted butternut mash, would tick all the boxes.
Roasted Butternut Squash & Thyme Cottage Pie
Baking the squash halves will take longer than boiling or steaming but it’ll be infinitely more delicious and if you start the recipe by popping the butternut in the oven to roast, you can then focus on preparing the savoury mince, and by the time that’s done, the squash should be ready to come out of the oven too.
For extra yumminess, I’ve also added unpeeled garlic cloves to the roasting squash, so they go mushy and caramelise inside their skins. Afterwards their flesh can simply be squeezed out and added to the mash.
Both garlic and butternut will pair perfectly with the gentle, earthy notes of the thyme. You’ll love it!
Roasted Butternut Squash w/ Garlic & Thyme
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & THYME COTTAGE PIE
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients:
500 g beef mince
1 medium to large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried) PLUS an extra sprig of thyme (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp tomato puree
3 very ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 x 400g can)
1 ½ cup beef stock or water
½ Tbsp cornflour
¾ cup peas
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Roasted Butternut Topping:
1 medium butternut squash
4 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
A few sprigs or fresh thyme (or a couple of pinches dried)
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil
2 Tbsp Parmesan or Tasty Cheese, finely grated
Method:
1. To roast the Butternut Squash: Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut the squash in half lengthwise (unpeeled) and scoop out the seeds.
2. Lightly oil a roasting tray big enough to accommodate the butternut halves. Season squash with salt and pepper and rub some olive oil all over. Now pop 2 garlic cloves inside each cavity and scatter the thyme sprigs over the top – rubbing some olive oil on them too.
3. Place tray in the oven and bake until butternut’s flesh is soft enough for mashing – approx. 45 – 60 minutes, depending on the size.
4. To make the Savoury Mince: In a saucepan over medium heat, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and add the onion, cooking for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add garlic and chopped thyme and cook for an extra 2 -3 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper.
5. Turn up the heat and add the mince, breaking it in small pieces until all large lumps are gone. This will take a few minutes. Now add the Worcestershire sauce and continue frying the mince on high heat, until you start getting some brown bits – this will add a lot of flavour to the final dish and the best way to achieve this is to leave the mince for a few minutes without stirring.
6. Add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, bay leaf and extra sprig of thyme (if using). Stir and cook for a few more minutes until tomatoes have broken down. Add the stock or water, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook for an extra 3 minutes.
7. Taste the mince and adjust flavour. Dissolve the cornflour in a little cold water and add to the mince, stirring, until slightly thickened. Place mince in an oven-proof dish and reserve.
8. To make the TOPPING, using a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh off the butternut into a mixing bowl. Squeeze the garlic pulp out of their skins into the same bowl, and the leaves out of roasted thyme sprigs (optional). Add the butter.
9. Mash it with a fork or masher until smooth and correct seasoning.
9. To assemble Cottage Pie, cover savoury mince with spoonfuls of the butternut mash, then smooth it out to cover the whole surface of the mince. If you wish to decorate the top of the pie, gently run a fork from one end of the dish to the other (see picture).
10. Top with the grated cheese and bake it in the oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until bubbling hot. Enjoy!
