Halloween Chef’s Recipe : Jack-be-Little Squash with Vegetable Barigoule by Pascal Aussignac from Club Gascon

Have some devilish fun with food this Halloween and beyond with a striking and warming vegetarian starter dish of Jack-be-Little Squash stuffed with chilli oil and butternut squash puree and topped with a barigoule of seasonal vegetables. Barigoule, a popular Provençal dish, comes courtesy of Gascon-born Michelin starred chef Pascal Aussignac at Club Gascon in London’s Clerkenwell.

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1/4 lemon
• 15g of sugar
• 50g of butter
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 20g of chilli oil

Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Add the butternut squash, lemon wedge, rosemary, half of the butter, sugar and olive oil to a roasting tin and mix well. Roast in the oven for 45 – 60 minutes.

Remove and discard the rosemary and lemon, then add the contents of the tray to a blender and blitz until silky-smooth, for 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the butter, the chilli oil and a splash of water and blend once more until incorporated. Set aside until ready to serve.

• 6 Jack-be-Little Squash

Slice the top off each Jack-be-Little squash and hollow it out by pressing a small round cutter into the middle and scooping out the seeds with a spoon.

The shells can be just for presentation, or you could steam or roast them to eat the flesh of the squash. For presentation : Gently steam the shells for 1-2 minutes. To steam : steam for 4-5 minutes until soft, but still firm enough to handle. To roast : Rub the shells in oil, salt and pepper and roast for 10-15 minutes until tender but holding their shape.

• 50g of Romanesco florets, broken into small pieces
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 small courgette, peeled and finely diced
• 1 small fennel bulb, peeled and finely diced
• 60ml of white wine
• 15ml of white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of pepper
• 1 pinch of coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 sprig of thyme
• olive oil
• fresh parsley, finely chopped
• purslane, or lamb’s lettuce to garnish

To make the barigoule, add a knob of butter to a pan and place over a medium-high heat. Once the butter is foaming, add the romanesco florets and cook until tender.

Start to sweat the rest of the diced vegetables in a pan with a dash of olive oil, but do not allow to soften. Add the white wine and white wine vinegar, season with salt, pepper and coriander seeds, and add a sprig of fresh thyme.

Allow the liquid to reduce a little, so that the vegetables are not wet, but not so much that they dry out completely. Finish with a little chopped parsley and mix in the romanesco florets.

To serve, gently reheat the puree and use to fill the Jack-be-Little shells. Top with the barigoule and add a few of the chilli oil flakes to garnish, if you’d like a little extra spice. Serve immediately with a little purslane or lamb’s lettuce to garnish.

Just delicious. Or try other stunning dishes based on the specialties from South West France at Club Gascon. Dine with the Luxury Restaurant Guide, the place to discover all the finest dining destinations in the UK, and enjoy a massive 20% reduction from your total dining bill. See details. Simply download the free Luxury Restaurant Guide app here and follow steps to join the club.

Club Gascon, 57-59 West Smithfield, Clerkenwell, London EC1A 9DS