How to make butternut squash and spinach salad with a cumin-brown butter yoghurt sauce

Pumpkins and marrows and even the odd sprout are nudging summer fruits and veg out of the way and finding a cosy spot in our shopping baskets

Playing hot and cold: the perfect salad for autumn (Photos by Julia Platt Leonard)

Autumn hasn’t started officially but step outside and you know that summer has beaten a hasty retreat. Sunglasses, sandals and sleeveless tops have been jettisoned to the back of the closet, the duvets are out, and we’re wondering how long we can hold out before turning on the heating.

It all feels like the long slog to winter but it’s not without its compensations. From a food standpoint, there is a whole new host of long-lost friends who are making their way back onto the scene.

Pumpkins and marrows and even the odd sprout are nudging summer fruits and veg out of the way and finding a cosy spot in our shopping baskets.

Of course, a lot of these foods are candidates for slow cooking, gratins and other winter warmers but let’s not kiss summer goodbye quite yet. Something lighter and fresher fits the change of seasons and hangs on to summer for just a bit longer.

Butter infused with cumin seeds and cooked just till it’s turning brown is a lovely thing. Stirred into yoghurt, it creates a lush, creamy sauce for butternut squash and spinach. A healthy hit of lime balances the flavours and a spike of chilli heat warms it all up, which is just what we need when the days get cooler.

(Julia Platt Leonard (Julia Platt Leonard)

Butternut squash and spinach with a cumin-brown butter yoghurt sauce

Serves 4-6

1 Butternut squash, about 1kg
2 tbsp olive oil
80g baby spinach, washed and dried
½ long red chilli sliced, or more to taste
150g Greek yoghurt
1 lime, zest plus juice of half the lime
30g unsalted butter
½ tsp cumin seeds
Salt
Preheat oven to 220C.

Slice off a bit from the top and bottom of the butternut squash to remove any stem and tail. Then slice the butternut squash into two pieces. Make the cut at the end of the slender neck, right before it bulges out into the round bottom section. Peel both sections of squash.

Take the tall “neck” portion and cut it in half creating two short columns the same size. Take one of these and slice it down the middle. Cut one half into four wedges. Repeat with the other half and then again with the other column. You’ll end up with 16 wedges that are roughly the same size.

Now take the round bottom section. Slice it down the middle so you have two bowl-shaped pieces. Scoop out the seeds and remove any fibrous bits. Slice in half again so you have four bowl-shaped pieces and then cut those into wedges for a total of 16 wedges.

Place all the squash onto a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and some salt. Place in the hot oven and roast until nicely browned on all sides.

While the squash is cooking, put the butter and cumin seeds into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat. You want the butter to turn a warm, light brown colour. Stir into the yoghurt. Add the zest of the lime plus the juice from half of the lime. Stir and taste. Add more lime juice if it needs more acid and a generous sprinkle of salt. The sauce should be pourable – you can add a tablespoon of water if it’s too thick.

When the squash is cooked, place the spinach on a serving dish, top with the squash slices and drizzle the yoghurt sauce on top. Place any remaining sauce in a small dish and serve on the side. Garnish with the chilli slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

@juliapleonard