Cheese fondue in a roast butternut base

serves 4

preparation time:

30 minutes

cooking time:
30 minutes

ingredients

1 large butternut squash
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp The Co-operative olive oil
2 vegetable stock cubes
16 The Co-operative new potatoes
1 medium cauliflower, in bite-sized florets
1 small broccoli head, in bite-sized florets

for the cheese fondue

½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
20g (¾oz) The Co-operative unsalted butter
250ml (9fl oz) hot vegetable stock, from cube
150g (5½oz) Jarlsberg cheese, grated
150g (5½oz) The Co-operative reduced-fat cheese, grated
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tsp water

method

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6/ 200ºC/fan 180ºC.

Slice the butternut squash in half through the middle. Scoop the seeds and a little of the flesh from the bowl-shaped end and cut it so it actually becomes a bowl, trimming a little off the bottom so it sits flat. Place the butternut bowl onto a baking tray with the garlic and the olive oil and bake for about 30 minutes until it’s browned but not so soft that it falls apart. Cut the remaining squash into bite-sized pieces.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil with 2 stock cubes, add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes before adding the remaining squash and the cauliflower florets. Once the vegetables are cooked, remove from the pan and keep warm in a low-temperature oven. Boil the broccoli in the same water, then remove and keep warm with the other vegetables.

To make the fondue, gently fry the onion and garlic in a small pan with the butter until soft but not browned. Add the stock, bring to a steady simmer and gradually stir in the cheeses until melted. Then stir in the cornflour and mix until smooth (don’t let it boil otherwise it will burn). Pour the fondue into the butternut base and serve with your dipping vegetables.