How to prepare a squash

This month we show you how to peel and chop a butternut squash with easy-to-follow tips that turn this potentially challenging task into a much simpler one.

1. Dampen a cloth or a tea towel and lay it under your chopping board to prevent it slipping on the work surface. Using a very sharp knife that you feel comfortable handling, slice off both ends of the squash, then cut it in half horizontally.

2. Take the fatter end of the squash and remove the peel using a sharp vegetable peeler – this is easier to use on curved surfaces than a knife. Use firm, sweeping motions to remove the peel in strips, turning the squash as you go.

3. Stand the longer end of the squash on its flat end – this is why you’ll be pleased you sliced the ends off the squash at the start. Holding the squash firmly and using a very sharp knife, slice off the peel in top-to-bottom sweeping motions.

4. Slice the fatter end of the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a spoon – try roasting them in the oven as a tasy snack. Slice or dice the squash, as required.