Roasted Butternut Squash with Lentils and Pomegranates

Ingredients

For the butternut squash

• 2 small butternut squash, halved and deseeded
• 4–5 tablespoons olive oil
• a handful of fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary
• 2 large leeks, trimmed and chopped
• 300 g baby plum tomatoes
• 400 g can black beluga lentils
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

• 3½ tablespoons olive oil
• 3½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses

To serve

• 50 g toasted pine nuts
• 3–4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F (325°F fan)/gas mark 5 (gas mark 3 fan).

Lightly score a diamond pattern into the flesh of the squash using the tip of a sharp knife. Drizzle with a little of the oil, sprinkle with the thyme and rosemary, place on a flat baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and push the squash over to one side. Scatter the chopped leeks and tomatoes on the other side of the pan and drizzle with the remaining oil. Scatter with salt and freshly ground black pepper and return to the oven for another 20 minutes, until the flesh of the squash is soft and

the leeks and tomatoes are lightly charred.

Scoop the leeks and tomatoes into a large bowl. Drain and rinse the lentils, and add them to the bowl.

Mix the olive oil and pomegranate molasses together for the dressing and add about half to the lentil mixture. Pile the mixture into the squash hollows and return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, until the lentil filling is just heated through.

Remove from the oven, drizzle over the remaining dressing, scatter with pine nuts and pomegranate seeds and add a good grinding of black pepper.