l'm now on Chris Kressers Personal Paleo Code. For those of you that are not aware of this programme, that eat Paleo, l would look into it. The programme comes with a series of information books that have taught me quite alot about nutrition. I have found that l'm now enjoying cooking main meals more and more...probably also to do with the fact that "paleo treats" are off the cards for a while. Based on this for the next month or so l will be cooking up more "Whole 30" style recipes.
This one is something that l have had my eye on for a while. I found this recipe on The Personal Paleo Code meal generator, submitted to them by Civilized Caveman Cooking. I have used this as the inspiration for this creation, but have made some changes of my own.
This is a great "all in one" recipe that is pretty easy to prepare. The butternut squash was really soft and moist, which went fantastically with the turkey and the slight kick of the chilli you get at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this, l gave the second portion to my partner who dabbles with paleo.....she wolfed it down and wants it again soon.
The ingredients for around 2 main meals are as follows;
(listed for 2 main meals as its easier to cook 2 at once)
3 slices of bacon
400g turkey breast mince
1 large butternut squash
1 1/2 peppers
1 mushrooms
3 shallots
1/2 a red onion
1 heaped teaspoon of chilli
STEP 1 - pre heat your oven to 175 degrees. Wash your squash and cut the ends off and then cut it straight down the middle. Next scoop out the seeds and place each half face down in a oven proof dish. Pour a little water into the dish so that it just covers the bottom of it by about 1/4 of an inch.
STEP 2 - place your squash into the oven for 40 minutes. This may take a little less dependant on the size of your squash so please bear this in mind.
STEP 3 - heat up a pan, adding a teaspoon of coconut oil. Once up to temperature cook your 3 slices of bacon until browned and crisp. Once cooked remove the bacon from the pan and place to the side to come back to later. Leave the pan, dont get rid of the fat in the pan either as we will use this next.
STEP 4 - slice up your mushroom, shallots and peppers. Put a small amount of shallot and peppers to the side. Then add the main body of ingredients to the pan still on the heat from the bacon and put in the chilli. Cook this until you are happy that it is as you would like it. Bear in mind that this will be going into the oven shortly for around 20 minutes. Then add the turkey breast mince and cook thoroughly. Once cooked put these cooked ingredients into a bowl. Again dont get rid of that pan yet, leave it for another stage. Then add your small amount of shallot and peppers that you put aside earlier on and cook 'em up. Once cooked leave them in the pan and put them to the side also.
STEP 5 - by this time your squash will be cooked enough for up to this stage. It doesnt have to be totally cooked just yet as its going back into the oven once its been filled. Take this out of your oven (but leave the oven on and at the same temperature)
STEP 6 - now following the shape of the squash, partially hollow it out. You want to leave a decent layer of flesh present on the skin though. Add the squash flesh that you are removing to the bowl with the turkey mince and other cooked ingredients in. The bacon that you cooked earlier on needs to be diced up and put into this bowl, but keep half a piece of bacon to the side and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
STEP 7 - l personally wanted some more body to the cooked mixture....for this take a handful of the squash flesh and put it into a blender with a little water, some chili, cracked black pepper, along with the little pepper and shallot from your pan. Blend this into a warm puree and mix it into your bowl with all of the ingredients in.
STEP 8 - add the ingredients to fill your hollowed out squash, it should look something like this. I recommend that you do this on the baking tray that you intend to use to put back into the oven in a moment.
STEP 9 - Put the baking tray back into the oven on the same temperature for 20 minutes.
STEP 10 - whilst in the oven get your pan back onto the hob and add a tablespoon of coconut oil. Heat this up so that its at a temperature where anything added to the pan will "sizzle". Cut up your half red onion and place the rings that you get into the coconut oil. Then do the same with a few slices of pepper, these will be your garnish. The red onion brings a cracking flavour to the rest of the dish, l really recommend it. I put 4 rings on each of mine, but given how good they taste will double this next time. Your after some slightly crispy onion rings and slices of pepper.
STEP 11 - after the 20 mins remove your squash from the oven, plate up and add your garnish. Remember the half piece of bacon? Cut it up so its almost breadcrumb texture and sprinkle this over the top also.
STEP 12 -......tuck in and enjoy!
As you can see my batch came out pretty well, dressed with a drizzle of olive oil after cooking.
A really great recipe that created a meal that l will have again in the near future. The combination of the meat with the squash and then the onion is something that l enjoyed....deeply!
The warm puree element is something that l would say is not essential, but l think the recipe would be lacking some moisture through the meat if its not there. Another option with the puree is to drizzle it over the top of complete recipe instead of mixing it throughout, but l liked it the way its been done here.
Thanks to Civilized Caveman Cooking for the inspiration for this recipe, if you haven't seen their site or reviewed their recipes you can do so by clicking here
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