Method
First, make a butternut squash purée. Set a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan, followed by the onion, two-thirds of the garlic, and all the squash. Season with a little salt and pepper. Gently fry, stirring regularly, for 10–12 minutes, then pour in the vegetable stock. Place a lid on the pan and cook for a further 15–20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the contents to cool for 5–10 minutes. Spoon out the squash, onions and garlic into a jug blender, ensuring that you don’t add too much liquid as you do so, as you want the purée to be nice and thick. Whiz the mixture until completely smooth. Season the purée to taste and set aside.
Set a large heavy griddle pan over a really high heat. When it’s smoking hot, add the chicory heads, trickle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Griddle the chicory until it’s charred on the outside and tender in the middle; 8–10 minutes on each side.
In a small pan, heat the remaining olive oil over a medium heat. Add the remaining garlic, the rosemary and the blanched hazelnuts. Fry gently for 3–4 minutes, until the garlic is soft, but not burned. Season with salt, remove from the heat and set aside.
To serve, spoon the purée out over a large, warm serving plate. Top with the chargrilled chicory and finish by scattering over the warm salty, garlicky hazelnuts.
