Pascal Aussignac serves up an inventive starter of jack-be-little squash filled with silky-smooth butternut squash and chilli oil purée, topped with a beautiful barigoule of seasonal vegetables.
To make the squash purée, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
2
Add the butternut squash, lemon wedge, rosemary, half of the butter, the sugar and olive oil to a roasting tin and mix well. Roast in the oven for 45–60 minutes
Remove and discard the rosemary and lemon, then add the contents of the tray to a blender and blitz until silky-smooth, for 5 minutes
4
Add the rest of the butter, the chilli oil and a splash of water and blend once more until incorporated. Set aside until ready to serve
20g of chilli oil
25g of butter
5
Slice the top off of each jack-be-little squash and hollow it out by pressing a small round cutter into the middle and scooping out the seeds with a spoon
At this point, gently steam the shells for 1–2 minutes. Pascal just uses these for presentation, but if you'd like to eat the flesh of the squash as well, steam for 4–5 minutes until soft, but still firm enough to handle. You could also try rubbing the shells in oil, salt and pepper and roasting for 10–15 minutes until tender but holding their shape
7
To make the barigoule, add a knob of butter to a pan and place over a medium-high heat. Once the butter is foaming, add the romanesco florets and cook until tender
Allow the liquid to reduce a little, so that the vegetables are not wet, but not so much that they dry out completely. Finish with a little chopped parsley and mix in the romanesco florets
To serve, gently reheat the purée and use to fill the jack-be-little shells. Top with the barigoule and add a few of the chilli oil flakes to garnish, if you'd like a little extra spice. Serve immediately
