Culpeper House

Here Lives A Man with a Pan

Salads

Squash with orzo, roasted garlic & feta sauce

Toby

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic bulb
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium squash (about 800g), peeled, halved and cut into 2-3cm wedges
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 200g orzo
  • 1 large leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced
  • ½ tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
  • 150ml  chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 small bunch of  flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

For the sauce

  • 200g feta
  • 3½ tbsp yogurt
  • ½ lemon, juiced

Method

  • STEP 1Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Remove the outer layers of the garlic bulb and slice off the root end, being careful to not cut too deep into the cloves. Put on a small sheet of foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Scrunch to enclose the garlic in the foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool still wrapped in the foil.
  • STEP 2Meanwhile, toss the squash with 2 tbsp of the oil, the paprika and some seasoning. Tip onto a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 mins, turning halfway, until the squash is tender and has some colour.
  • STEP 3For the sauce, combine the feta, yogurt, lemon juice and 4 of the roasted garlic cloves (squeezing the flesh out of the skins) to create a smooth paste. It should be thick but pourable – add up to 2 tbsp water to loosen if needed. Set aside.
  • STEP 4Cook the orzo in a pan of salted water over a medium heat for 4-5 mins until it’s cooked but still has bite. Drain, reserving a cupful of the orzo water and cool in a sieve under cold running water.
  • STEP 5Cook the leek with 1 tbsp oil and the butter over a medium heat in a large pan, stirring regularly, for 5 mins. Add the preserved lemon and the flesh of 3 roasted garlic cloves, then mash together well. Once the leeks are translucent, tip in the cooked orzo, stock and a splash of the pasta cooking water. Stir for a minute to warm through the orzo. Mix in half of the parsley.
  • STEP 6Spoon the orzo and leeks onto plates, top with the squash and drizzle over the feta sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

Recipe tip

You can freeze any leftover roast garlic by squeezing the flesh out of the skins and putting them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to three months.