Creamy parsnip & squash bake

Ingredients

• 284ml pot and a 142ml pot double cream
• 1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped
• 2 thyme sprigs, 1 stripped of leaves
• butter , for greasing
• 500g parsnips (about 4 large)
• 1⁄2 500g butternut squash (about 1⁄2 a large one)
• 25g Gruyère , grated

Method

1. Place the cream, onion or shallot and the thyme sprig into a small pan. Slowly heat to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Strain, discarding the onion and thyme.
2. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 4. Rub the bottom and sides of a gratin dish measuring about 20 x 30cm with butter. Peel the parsnips and trim the ends. Peel and scoop the seeds out of the squash. Thinly slice the vegetables.
3. Layer the parsnip and squash in the dish, pour over the infused cream, then scatter with the thyme leaves and Gruyère. Bake for 1 hr until golden and a fork slides easily into the veg.

Get ahead

Leave the bake to cool, then cover and place in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, place in a 220C/ fan 200C/gas 7 oven for 15 mins. If the top starts to brown more than you'd like, cover with foil.