Prepare this stunning centrepiece to impress your vegetarian guests on Christmas day.

Ingredients
1 large Butternut squash
Caramelised onions
2 red onions, sliced fine
5 tbsp coconut sugar
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150g Basmati/Wild Rice, cooked
150g chestnuts. roughly chopped
75g dried apricots, chopped
150g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
Pinch Cayenne pepper
Pinch Paprika
Juice half a lemon
Pinch salt & pepper
Pinch dried sage
160g mushrooms
1 tsp roasted garlic
6 sun-dried tomatoes, re-hydrated
4 peppers, roasted, skin removed
2 handfuls baby spinach
5 tbsp cranberry sauce

Method

Split the squash in half length ways, place into a baking tray & bake for 45 minutes or until just soft. Pre-heat a non-stick sauce pan, add the sliced onion & allow to sweat for 5 minutes. Add the balsamic & sugar then cook for a further 10 minutes over a low heat until nicely caramelised. Then remove from the heat.

Mix together the rice ingredients until fully incorporated & set aside. For the mushrooms, pre heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a touch a water, followed by the mushrooms, seasoning & dried garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until cooked. When the squash has cooled slightly, scoop out the seeds then scoop a 2 cm channel of flesh out of the squash and add that to the rice bowl.

To build the squash, first spoon in some cranberry sauce, followed by the rice mix. Top with the peppers, onions, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes & spinach. Carefully place the top half of the squash on. Tie the squash together then roast for a further 15 minutes.

Carve & serve.