The butternut flesh, puréed.
Preheat the oven to 240℃. Halve the butternuts but do not peel them. Scoop out the pips. Season with salt and pepper. Chop the garlic and scatter it all over. Place a star anise in each cavity and another at the centre of the fleshy part. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle a little more salt and pepper over, place on a baking tray and roast for about 30 minutes on the high heat until tender. Check for tenderness with a skewer, which should glide in and out easily.
Remove the star anise but don’t scrape off the garlic, which will have become a little blackened, which will become a part of the flavour profile of the pure with a stick blender or other blender you may have. Add a little more olive oil. You can stir in a little butter or a little cream if you like, but I like it, as additions will obviate the flavour a little.