Squash Provencal Recipes

PROVENCAL SUMMER SQUASH AND POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly mist a shallow 2-quart baking or gratin dish with cooking spray.
• Thinly slice the squash, zucchini, potato, and onion 1/4-inch thick with a mandolin or by hand. Shingle the vegetables in the prepared baking dish in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove the foil; sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes more. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SQUASH PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/4 cup juice; set aside. In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer the zucchini, onion and rice; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Top with squash and tomatoes., In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt, pepper and reserved juice; pour over tomatoes. Dot with remaining butter., Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with a slotted spoon.

SIMPLE PROVENçAL WINTER SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 3-quart baking or gratin dish with olive oil. Toss together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Combine well and turn into the baking dish. Place in the oven and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the squash is thoroughly tender and the top is lightly browned. Serve hot or warm.

BAKED ZUCCHINI DE PROVENCE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange a layer of zucchini slices into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan so they slightly overlap one another; drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with some of the sea salt and herbes de Provence. Repeat layering until the zucchini is all used.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• While the zucchini bakes, stir together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the baked zucchini and return to oven 10 minutes more; serve hot.

PROVENçAL TOMATO AND SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Peel and seed half the tomatoes, and chop fine. Slice the rest and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until it begins to smell fragrant, and stir in the squash. Cook, stirring often, until the squash is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and the thyme, season with salt and pepper, raise the heat slightly and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the rice or other grains and remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked vegetables, salt and pepper to taste, and the cheese and combine well. Scrape into the gratin dish.
• Slice the remaining tomatoes and cover the top of the gratin in one layer. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the gratin is sizzling. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the basil over the top. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

SUMMER SQUASH PROVENCAL

Steps:

• In a small nonstick skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, green pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

BRAISED PROVENCAL CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups water, beans and onion in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool in cooking liquid. Drain bean mixture, discarding cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, place chicken in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil, oregano, thyme and rosemary and toss to coat. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook chicken in skillet until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
• Pour off drippings from skillet. Add wine and garlic to skillet; simmer until liquid is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Stir in squash, tomatoes in juice and drained bean mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in parsley. Simmer uncovered until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving bowl. Spoon bean-and-vegetable mixture over.

PROVENCAL-STYLE STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Pulse the diced bread in a food processor until you have an even mix of fine and coarse crumbs. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the parsley leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and process until evenly mixed. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture for the filling. Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of the extra-virginolive oil into the remaining breadcrumbs, transfer the mixture to a small container, and set it aside. (Alternatively, you can use store-bought fine fresh crumbs: Combine 3/4 cup breadcrumbswith 1 tablespoon minced parsley, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons, and mix 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil into the remainder.)
• Lay the zucchini on a flat work surface, and using a sharp knife, slice off the top quarter of each squash lengthwise. Next, slice a sliver off the bottom of each squash to help keep it stable. Using a small melon baller or spoon, remove the inner flesh from the zucchini to form a small boat shape, leaving a shell that is approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut the zucchini pulp into 1/4-inchdice, and reserve it separately. Lightly salt the inside of the zucchini shells with the remaining1/4 teaspoon salt. Set them, hollow side down, on paper towels to drain while you prepare the filling.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add the sausage and saute until it is golden, using a spoon to break it into small pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, and cook, stirring, until the moisture has evaporated and the filling comes together, 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir inthe reserved 2 tablespoons breadcrumb mixture, and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Rub the outside of the zucchini with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Turn the zucchini hollow side up, and lightly pat the insides with paper towels. Using a tablespoon or other small spoon, fill the zucchini with the warm filling. Top with the reserved breadcrumbs. Lay the zucchini in a baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes,or until golden brown and crispy on top.

HALIBUT PROVENçAL WITH TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush a shallow, ovenproof casserole with olive oil.
• To make the sauce, heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped thyme and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the zucchini and tomatoes and sauté until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the olives and vinegar. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
• To cook the fish, place the halibut in the prepared casserole and turn in the oil to lightly coat; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the fillets. Bake until just opaque in the center, about 10 minutes. Garnish with additional sprigs of thyme.