hamilton squash

servings
Serves 4

method

This is a recipe inspired by a one-minute conversation with my mate Johnny Boy Hamilton. He had basically eaten far too much meat in Paris, went for the veggie option one night and was blown away by it. His description used a marrow instead of a squash and some kind of green rice, but anyway, the great thing is I've given this a bash my way and think it's an absolutely fantastic recipe. So, nice one John. There is no need to precook the rice as it will take on moisture from being cooked inside the squash.

First of all, soak your porcini for 5 minutes in 140ml of boiling water. Preheat the oven to 230ºC/450ºF/gas 8. Using a teaspoon, score and scoop out some extra flesh from the length of the squash. Finely chop this flesh with the squash seeds and add to a frying pan with 4 lugs of olive oil, the onion, garlic, coriander seeds, chilli, rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes. Fry for 4 minutes until softened. Add the porcini and half their soaking water. Cook for a further 2 minutes before seasoning. Stir in your rice and pinenuts, pack the mixture tightly into the 2 halves of the squash and then press them together. Rub the skin of the squash with a little olive oil, wrap in tin-foil, and bake in the preheated oven for about 1¼ hours.

• from Happy Days with the Naked Chef

ingredients

• 1 small handful of dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 butternut squash, halved and seeds removed
• olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, pounded
• a pinch or two of dried chilli, to taste
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g basmati rice
• ½ a handful of pinenuts, lightly roasted

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1. by Adam on Thu 19 May 2011 @ 14:03

Fairly easy to make, however, like others I found the squash seeds to be a bit awkward. It reminded me a eating the core of an apple. You can do it, but the texture is just all wrong. As well, the rice did not cook as indicated in the recipe, so I would recommend giving it a bit of a rapid boil for a few mins first. Everything else about the recipe was good and healthy, but not sure what the motivation for the weird partly chewy/partly crunchy seeds was. It just didn't work.

2. by Joy on Tue 17 May 2011 @ 20:28

Something different and very tasty. I loved the idea of using the inside of the pumpkin, however I wasn't so keen on the texture of the pumpkin seeds. You're better off taking them out and using pumpkin seeds at the end or making your own pumpkin seeds, as others have suggested in their comments.

3. by kiwilass2 on Sat 26 Feb 2011 @ 18:57

I love this recipe, it's so tasty.<br /> Jess - you can separate the seeds from the squash and toast them in a pan which has been very lightly sprayed with olive oil. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, a little dried chili flakes and some chopped fresh rosemary. Toast until crisp and golden, moving them around often so they don't burn. They are delicious!

4. by farkle on Fri 26 Feb 2010 @ 17:26

would a smaller version work with a Yam or sweet potato?
I live in Nova Scotia and want to host a Jamie party. Come on over.

5. by JoyYamDaisy on Thu 16 Jul 2009 @ 13:13

Here is my attempt: http://www.jamieoliver.com/bloggers/viewtopic.php?id=48740
I am so pleased with this recipe.

6. by Christine on Mon 08 Jun 2009 @ 23:13

Reply to Jess re. squash seeds - scoop out seeds, don't bother washing bits off,
(i'd had oven on about 180c cooking something else) put seeds on a tray, leave oven on for about 5 mins then turn it off and leave seeds in overnight. Delicious! Don't forget to turn oven off though cos seeds ping about and spin round.

7. by Sally on Sun 07 Jun 2009 @ 19:00

Hamilton sqush is my favorite dish. I have been making it ever since Jamie's book came out years ago and still make it. It is not just vegetarian but vegan. This is a vegearian dish with real taste. It is very filling so I don't usually have anything with it - oh and it is nice cold too!

8. by jemma on Tue 07 Apr 2009 @ 10:36

what would you serve this with? looks yummy going to cook it for me veggie friends but wonder what to put it with.

9. by Jess on Wed 18 Feb 2009 @ 15:31

hi, I was just wondering if there is anything you can do with the seeds from the squash because they look like they would be great for salads and things!

10. by josephine agplalo on Mon 09 Feb 2009 @ 04:45

hi jamie
i want to try this recipe because it looks good and yummy.
i also like watching you in your cooking shows

11. by Kinna on Fri 02 Jan 2009 @ 21:28

Hi Jamie!
Thank You for all inspiration from different sites. I saw this recipe and also a clip from a show where you were cooking with 4 people in gray "robes" a bit messy but I got the idéa of how you made it and created something similar to the small finger food whith mozzarella from the show. It will be on my food blog this week.
Hope you will have a great 2009.

regards Kinna from
http://kinnasblogg.blogspot.com

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