Prep time:

Cooking time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Total time:

Serves: 6

4 Parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 Small Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped

4tbsp Olive Oil

6 Sage Sprigs

4tbsp Milk

Salt and Pepper

For families around the Weald, settling down together to enjoy a succulent roasted turkey on Christmas Day is the highlight of the culinary calender. But why stick to the traditional format year after year?

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C
  2. Roast the parsnips with two tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cover the roasting tin with foil and roast for 50 minutes, or until cooked.
  3. Roast the butternut squash with the remaining olive oil, season and roast uncovered for an hour, or until cooked.
  4. Mash the butternut squash and parsnips with a potato masher (it will not be a very smooth consistency).
  5. Add two tablespoons of milk, or a bit more to obtain a smoother texture.
  6. Chop 10 sage leaves and add to the mash and check the seasoning (salt and pepper).
  7. Fry a few sage leaves in a little oil to be added as decoration.

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether

You may also like

Sausage & apple rolls

Apples go so well with pork and with pastry. Choose a good cooking variety and some high quality sausage meat for these deliciously simple-to-make sausage rolls – perfect to serve at Halloween or Bonfire Night.

Apple, cauliflower & Stilton salad

This crunchy salad is ideal for the autumn – whatever the weather. It is hearty enough to serve for a light lunch or supper on its own, but equally good as a side dish. Use firm, tangy dessert apples like...

Hedgerow harvest cake

Celebrate the season with a delicious combination of fruits and nuts gathered from the hedgerows (or the supermarket). Apple is a very useful ingredient in general for cakes, either grated or as apple purée, as it will help to keep...