Lamb and Butternut Squash Casserole

Here’s another recipe for leftover lamb. This one is good if you’ve got about an hour before dinner, but don’t want to spend the whole time cooking. It’s also good if dinner might be delayed, because it will happily keep warm in the oven for quite a while.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

3 small or one large	Butternut squash
6 ounces	Leftover cooked lamb, sliced thin
1 tablespoon	Butter or margarine
1 tablespoon	Plain flour
1 cup	Milk
1/2 teaspoon	Tarragon
Dash	Nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, then cut in finger width slices.

   

   

   
   
3. Place in oven- and microwave- safe oval casserole dish with a splash of water. Cover and microwave on high for about three minutes. This will kick start the cooking and reduce the total time required in the main oven. Leave the lid on so it will continue to steam-cook while you make a white sauce:
4. Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan
   Stir in flour with a whisk. Add seasonings now. The dry ingredients should absorb all the fat, and clump together.
   Pour in some of the milk, and whisk to a smooth paste. Gradually add all the milk, whisking constantly to maintain a consistent texture.
   Increase heat to bring to a boil. Boil and stir for a minute or so, until thickened.
5. Slice the lamb now, if you haven’t already done so.

   

   

   
   
6. Place lamb and squash slices alternately in a pleasing arrangement in casserole. They won’t stay arranged when you’re ready to serve, but flavours will blend better and it’ll look pretty in the dish. (Excess squash can be slotted in around the edges.)

   

   

   
   
7. Pour sauce over the meat and veg; it won’t cover it completely in any way. It is there to add a bit of moisture and some delicate seasoning. There will be very little ‘sauce’ left when the ‘casserole’ is done cooking. Replace lid.
8. Bake, covered for 30-40 minutes. Dinner is ready when the squash is fork tender.
9. Serve as desired.

About Julia Davis-Coombs

I'm an American living in the UK, combining rural Mid-west ideas about food with a suburban coastal British reality. It's fun!

‹ Glazed Re-fried Lamb

Lamb and Tomato Sauce for Pasta ›

Tagged with: Autumn recipes, Lamb, Squash, White sauce
Posted in Leftovers, Recipes