Chickpea & squash casserole

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Wash and trim the squash (there’s no need to peel it), carefully halve lengthways and deseed. Place skin side down directly on the bars of the oven. Put a large deep casserole pan on a high heat. Break in the mushrooms and toast in the dry pan for 10 minutes to bring out their nuttiness, tossing regularly, while you peel the onions, deseed the peppers and very roughly chop both. Add to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Peel and finely slice the garlic and add to the pan with 2 tablespoons each of olive oil, red wine vinegar and the tapenade. Allow the liquid to evaporate, then go in with the chickpeas, juice and all, the tomatoes, scrunching them in through clean hands, and 2 tins’ worth of water. Bring to the boil, sit the squash halves on top, skin side down, and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until thick, delicious, and the squash is soft.

Use a serving spoon to roughly break up the squash and mix it through the stew, then season to perfection. Enjoy as is, batching up extra portions to stash in the fridge or freezer for future meals.

Tips

Here are my favourite leftover ideas:

CHICKPEA & SQUASH CURRY

In a pan, reheat some casserole until piping hot with a little korma curry paste for added spice, then stir through baby spinach until wilted. Serve with your favourite rice, a dollop each of yoghurt and mango chutney, and poppadoms on the side.

CHICKPEA & SQUASH ON TOAST

Reheat some casserole until piping hot, then serve with a thick slice of toast, buttered with your favourite pesto, and topped with torn buffalo mozzarella and a scattering of fresh basil leaves, if you’ve got them.

CHICKPEA & SQUASH, SPANISH-STYLE

In a pan, reheat some casserole until piping hot, then push to one side and fry some tinned new potatoes and sliced chorizo to serve alongside. Finish with lots of picked flat-leaf parsley, dressed in lemon.

CHICKPEA & SQUASH COUSCOUS

Reheat some casserole until piping hot, then ripple it with natural yoghurt and a little harissa. Serve spooned over fluffy couscous, with a scattering of fresh coriander or baby mint leaves, if you’ve got them.