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Being English we claim not to be programmed to celebrate 31st October with pumpkins and ghoulish tales of the night, however I went trick or treating as a nipper back in the 80s and disagree with tedious naesayers who claim that the celebrating of Halloween is nothing but yet another blind import from the evil USA.

We may have imported the commercial side of things but All Hallows Eve has existed for a long time at our pagan heart. And that’s why I made Butternut Squash Soufflé on 31st October. And carved a pumpkin with a silly face and ate witch’s fingers from M&S for pudding.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 + 10-25 minutes
Skill level: Medium

Ingredients

• butternut squash - 100g cooked weight (about 300/400g raw weight)
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• strong hard goat’s cheese - 60g - grated
• milk - 200ml
• plain flour - 20g
• soft brown sugar - ½ tsp
• whole hazelnuts - 30g
• butter - 60g
• chilli flakes - ½ tsp
• fresh thyme - 1 tbsp

It’s just the thing for a chill winter’s eve when you have a yen to toil long in the kitchen. The method then. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4. Quarter the squash, scoop out and throw away the centre. Place skin side down on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 45 minutes until the flesh is tender. Cool. Blend.

Next, turn the oven up to 200ºC/gas mark 6 and place a baking tray therein. Zap the hazlenuts to a fine powder, butter a baking dish or six individual ramekins then dust the bottom and sides of your chosen receptacle with the powdered nuts.

And onto the soufflé. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the milk, being sure to keep stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Set aside.

Take a bowl and mix together the squash, egg yolks, chilli, marjoram, goat’s cheese and half a teaspoon of salt. Then add the milk and flour mixture and blend together with a spoon.

Put the egg whites in a glass bowl and whisk until reasonably stiff. Gradually fold the stiff whites into the squash mixture using a large metal spoon, being sure to keep as aerated as possible.

Pour the mixture into the vessel of choice to one cm below the top and place on the heated baking tray. If using ramekins, cook for 10 minutes, if using a single baking dish cook for 20-25 minutes, until the golden-brown and risen. Serve immediately with green veg - steamed spinach, green beans, broad beans, any will be good.

Verdict: Marvellous, denser than a standard cheese soufflé, lots of good flavours.

Drink: A robust red of Spanish provenance.

Entertainment: A delightful mixture of World of Pub and A Bit of Fry and Laurie on DVD. World of Pub being a hugely under-rated three hander starring Phil Cornwell, Peter Serafinowicz and Kevin Eldon. I exhort you to watch it.