Roasted butternut squash, fennel and courgettes

Serves 4

The sweetness of roasted butternut squash is delicious with the slight salty heat of the roast chicken. Cooking vegetables in one pan simplifies everything and the flavours mingle together nicely. When cooking accompaniments, always make sure that you repeat the flavours to some extent so the total meal is harmonious.

2 bulbs of fennel
1 butternut squash
5 courgettes
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
The juice of half a lemon
1 bunch of marjoram, leaves only
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove the tough outer leaves from the fennel then cut into quarters. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise – it is important to use a sharp knife for this – scrape out the seeds and slice into generous chunks.

Wash and pat dry the courgettes and slice on the bias in one-inch pieces.

Now place all the vegetables into a bowl and pour over the olive oil, squeeze over the lemon juice and add the marjoram and garlic. Toss together well and place into a roasting pan.

Cover tightly in foil and place on the lower shelf of the oven about five minutes after you have turned the oven down to 180C/350F/ Gas4 as the second part of cooking the chicken.

Roast for 20 minutes then remove the foil, gently toss the vegetables and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve alongside the chicken.