This has many strings to its bow: It serves as a vegetarian alternative to the Thanksgiving turkey; it gussies up a plate of cold leftover turkey; it adds the right balance of mellow warmth and tang to any plain wintry dish; it is a good whole meal on days when you just feel fleshed out.
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 425°F.
Halve the squash, leaving the skin on, and scoop out the seeds, then cut into 1-inch cubes; you don't need to be precise, just keep the pieces uniformly small.
Put into a roasting pan with the oil and strip about 4 stalks of thyme of their leaves, sprinkling over the butternut squash. If you can't get any fresh thyme, sprinkle over dried. Roast in the oven for about 30-45 minutes or until tender.
Once out of the oven, remove the squash to a bowl and scatter over the pecans and crumble over the cheese, tossing everything together gently.
Check the seasoning and add the last couple of stalks of thyme, torn into small sprigs, to decorate.
Serves 6-8
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