Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Slice the squash into 4 wedges, removing the seeds and skin as you go. Cut each in half and put them in a large roasting tin.

Pour the olive oil over the squash. Season generously with salt and black pepper.

Cut the butter into 8 and place a piece on each wedge of squash. Roast in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a metal skewer will slide effortlessly through the flesh. If the edges are lightly browned, then all to the good.

While the squash is roasting, cut the bacon into pieces roughly the size of a postage stamp.

Warm the oil in a shallow pan and fry the bacon over a moderate heat for 6-8 minutes until its fat turns golden.

Peel and finely chop the onions, then add to the bacon.

Peel and finely slice the garlic and chop the thyme leaves, then stir into the onions together with a generous seasoning of salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly until soft and fragrant.

Roughly chop the parsley and stir in. Mix in the oats – they will soak up the bacon fat – and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

Then pour in the stock, bring to the boil and let it simmer for another 2 minutes. Set aside until the squash is tender.

Introduce the oat and bacon mixture to the roasting tin, piling it over and around the pieces of squash.

Return to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes until lightly sizzling. Scatter over some extra parsley to finish, if you like.