Honey & almond Hasselback butternut

This honey and almond Hasselback butternut recipe is basted with brown butter and adorned with roasted almonds and fried sage leaves. It’s a deliciously impressive, sweet, and savoury vegetarian centerpiece that will make a festive side dish for any roast. Peels – South Africa’s oldest honey producer makes the most incredible range of single nectar honey along with a wide range of honey-related products. Honey is one of the top 3 most faked foods in the world and knowing that it comes from a reputable supplier protects you against this. I chose their Macadamia honey for this recipe to tie in with the almond topping.

It is perfectly normal for good-quality honey to be thicker and cloudy. This. is called crystallization. The best way to re-liquify your honey is to place the jar in a bowl of hot water and stir it gently. Avoid placing it in a pot of boiling water on the stove or in the microwave as this can overheat it very quickly.

Ingredients:

• 1 Large butternut or 2 small-medium butternuts peeled, and seeds removed
• Olive oil
• 50gms butter
• 10 – 15 sage leaves
• 6 bay leaves (optional)
• ½ cup Peels Macadamia honey
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar (or red wine)
• ½ cup of roasted almonds, chopped