Name: Golden pilaf with sizzling merguez
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 6-8 as a starter
Cuisine: North African
Ingredients: 1 butternut squash deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces (do not peel); 2 onions halved, then thinly sliced; 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil; 25g butter; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste; 300g basmati rice soaked for 20 minutes, then rinsed well; 600ml vegetable or chicken stock; 500g merguez sausage (around 12 thin merguez), or chorizo if you can't find them; large pack mint leaves, torn; 50g pistachio roughly chopped; roasted red pepper & harissa sauce (see recipe in tip, below); 170g pot Greek yogurt

1 butternut squash
deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces (do not peel)
2 onions
halved, then thinly sliced
1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
25g butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp sundried tomato
paste
300g basmati rice
soaked for 20 minutes, then rinsed well
600ml vegetable or chicken stock
500g merguez sausage
(around 12 thin merguez), or chorizo if you can't find them

To serve

large pack mint
leaves, torn
50g pistachio
roughly chopped
roasted red pepper & harissa sauce
(see recipe in tip, below)
170g pot Greek yogurt

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the squash, a quarter of the sliced onions and the oil in a large roasting tin, season, then roast for 20 mins.
step 2
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan and add the rest of the onions, plus some seasoning. Gently cook for 15 mins until tender and turning gold.
step 3
Add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the onions. Toast for 1 min, then add the tomato paste and rice, and sizzle for a few mins. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. stir the rice, then cover and simmer for 10 mins. Take the pan off the heat and set aside for 10 mins more to let the rice become fluffy and light.
step 4
Toss the squash and onions, then return to the oven for 20 mins. Put the merguez into the oven in a separate tin and roast for 20 mins. The squash will be tender by this point, and the onions very crisp (verging on burnt – in a good way!).
step 5
When ready to serve, slice the sausages on an angle. Toss the squash, onions, sausage, mint and pistachios through the rice and serve with the sauce and a dollop of yogurt.