Crumble Bum

Since the success of celeriac remoulade our veg box adventures have known no bounds.  We have eaten many strange and wonderful organic items including three different types of kale; every veg box is a challenge and so far we've risen to it.  However, when we were left last week with swede and pumpkin I've got to admit I was a bit stumped.  Until I had a eureka moment and stumbled across a savoury crumble... 

I've made two rhubarb crumbles this year and had decided to lay off them as they are not good for the bottom....but the savoury version didn't seem quite so bad, plus we had a veggie guest for dinner.  Crumble is really easy to make, and the sweetness of the squash, swede and pumpkin with the saltiness of the cheese and the crunch of the chopped nuts made for a most satisfying mouthful.  The dressing is for drizzling over the crumble and I went a step further and added a green salad for a bit of contrast and freshness.  The recipe is from the esteemed Michel Roux Jr; veggie friend asked for the recipe....so here it is:

 

You will need

• 100g butter
• 150g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 100g grated mature cheddar, use the nicest cheese you can afford
• 75g chopped mixed nuts
• 300g pumpkin
• 300g swede
• 300g butternut squash
• These quantities can be varied as long as you have 900g of them all
• 1 onion, chopped
• A sprinkle of grated nutmeg
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
• 30ml balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  
  
  1.      Sift the flour and rub in the butter until you have a breadcrumb like consistency.
  2.      Mix in the salt, grated cheese, and roughly chopped nuts.
  3.      Peel and cut the pumpkin, squash and swede into 1 cm cubes.
  4.      Cook on a high heat in olive oil, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are slightly browned, around 5 minutes.
  5.      Reduce to a medium heat and add the chopped onion, rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes.
  6.      Add the garlic, replace lid and cook for 10 minutes.
  7.      Remove the rosemary sprigs, and put the mixture into a dish and spread the crumble on top.
  8.      Bake in a 180C oven for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
  9.      Mix up the dressing and serve with a green salad on the side.