Angela Day
Couscous Stuffed Butternut
Serves 4
1 butternut, halved lengthwise
5ml Lifestyle Food Himalayan salt
a pinch of pepper
olive oil for drizzling
125ml couscous
10ml Lifestyle Food grapeseed oil
125ml hot vegetable stock
15g butter
30ml Lifestyle Food flaxseed oil
1 small onion, chopped
5ml chopped garlic
3ml ground cinnamon
2ml Lifestyle Food cayenne pepper
125ml Lifestyle Food mixed seeds, lightly toasted
60ml chopped mint
60ml chopped parsley
100g feta cheese, cubed
60ml dried cranberries, chopped
pomegranate rubies to sprinkle
Score the flesh of the butternut into a cross-hatch design. Season well and drizzle with olive oil.
Place the halves on a baking tray in the oven at 180degC for 40-50 minutes until the butternut is soft.
Remove the flesh and pips leaving a 1cm border. (Reserve the cooked flesh for another use or freeze.)
Put the couscous in a bowl and pour over the grapeseed oil. Mix it through well until the grains are coated.
Pour over the hot stock. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir through the butter and set aside.
Heat the flaxseed oil in a small pot and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in the cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Remove from the heat and add in the couscous. Mix well.
Mix in seeds, herbs, feta cheese and cranberries.
Pile the mixture into the butternut shells. Heat in the oven at 180degC for 10 minutes and serve sprinkled with pomegranate rubies.
* Lifestyle Foods are available at Dis-Chem, which is a sponsor of the Angela Day Kitchen. Angela Day is a cookery column carried in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News, and by IOL.