Baked butternut squash stuffed with beef and cheese

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

• 2 butternut squash 
• 2 red onions
• 2 leeks
• 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil
• 200g mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic
• 800g British beef mince
• Worcestershire sauce
• Tin of tomatoes
• Tomato puree
• Salt and pepper
• Dried oregano
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 400ml boiling water mixed with one stock cube (vegetable or beef)
• 100g strong cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• Or use a goat’s cheese or mozzarella style cheese instead

Method

1. Split the butternut squash in half longways and drizzle with some rapeseed oil.
2. Bake in a roasting tin at 180 degrees for about an hour.
3. While the squash is in the oven, fry the onion in a pan with the rapeseed oil and cook until soft. Add the chopped leek and cook until softened. 
4. Then add the mince and brown it in the pan.
5. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the mince and cook together.
6. Add the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper, oregano and honey to the mince, stir and cook for about 10 minutes on the hob. Add the stock and simmer the mixture for about half an hour.
7. Scrape the seeds out of the middle of the butternut squash.
8. Pile the mince on top of the butternut squash, cover with grated cheese.
9. Pop into a hot oven or under the grill until the cheese is bubbling and golden on top.
10. Delicious with crisp winter leaves or a crunchy coleslaw.