Quick, easy and deliciously filling.
It can be used as a side dish, but would work much better as a meal on its own.
- Preheat oven to 200C
- Peel and slice the onion finely. Cut the bacon into large strips. Grate the cheese coarsely.
- Cut the butternut into quarters (lengthways) and remove the seeds and pulp. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Turn the butternut over – flesh side down – and roast in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes until tender.
- Heat the butter in a frying pan and, when frothing, add the bacon strips, onion and chilli slices. Fry until the bacon is crispy and then remove everything from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a mixing bowl. Mix in the grated cheese.
- When the butternut is done, remove it from the oven and flip the quarters over (skin side down). Sprinkle the cheese mix all over – concentrating in particular on the cavity which contained the seeds and pulp.
- Turn the oven grill on. Put the dressed butternut back under the under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese melts then remove and serve immediately.
- PLEASE NOTE: Butternut is on the Orange list, so eat this in moderation.