Comfort Food

It's not so much the lack of pots and pans and cooking equipment that has been the hardest hurdle to making a meal, but the shortage of prep space. This has seriously curtailed my culinary ambitions and enthusiasm to cook. As the weather has turned colder and we are exposed to the elements to a certain degree, I have given in to the odd ready made pie. One simple dish I have found that requires minimal prep for maximum reward is Skye Gyngell's baked onion squash. The basic ingredients are double cream, dijon mustard, gruyere cheese and the onion squash and it is quite simply delicious needing no more accompaniment than a few salad leaves or some green vegetables.

Recipe from Independent.co.uk

Serves 2

1 onion squash
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 bunch of thyme, leaves only
200ml/7fl oz crème fraîche or double cream
Salt and pepper
2 slices of stale white bread
150g/5oz Gruyère

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Slice the lid off the squash a quarter of the way down its flesh. Set the top aside and scoop out the seeds. Place the mustard, thyme and crème fraîche or cream into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Spoon half into the base of the squash, followed by a layer of Gruyère.

Trim the crusts off the bread and tear into one-inch pieces. Layer the bread on top and then pour over the remaining cream. Return the lid to the squash, place on a baking tray and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for one hour. Remove and allow to cool slightly, then serve as it is or spoon on to plates, scraping all the squash out as you do so. Serve with salad.

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