Provencal Winter Squash with White Beans

One of my family’s favorite recipes (ever) is one that I made from In The Small Kitchen, a cookbook I reviewed last year–Baked Provencal Chicken.  It combines dates, vinegar, herbs, tomatoes and lots of garlic.  The sauce is intoxicating.

I didn’t want to try it with tofu.  It didn’t seem quite right.  I had this buttercup squash (pictured below) and white beans on hand.  Perfect.  I couldn’t wait to see how it worked.

I slid everything into the oven and set the timer.  A few minutes later, the smell wafted through the house and I started drooling.  It smelled incredible.

Patience, is not one of my virtues.  And it took so much restraint, I tell you.  Especially because the squash took a little longer than I had anticipated to cook through.  Oh the torture!  And then it was done.

I spooned up a bowl over quinoa.  Lunch was served.

Provencal Winter Squash with White Beans
inspired by In The Small Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 cups winter squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes (buttercup, hubbard, butternut, kabocha, kuri)
1-2 cups cooked white beans (I cook my own, but canned is fine too)
6-8 plum tomatoes, cut into halves
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
4 whole dates, pitted and chopped
1 Tbsp. olives, chopped (use your favorite kind)
1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed well, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano or 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced, for serving
Cooked quinoa, rice, or pasta, for serving

Instructions:


Place squash in an 8″ square baking dish.  Add remaining ingredients, except for white beans and fresh parsley.  Bake at 375 degrees F. until squash is tender, about 40-50 minutes.  Add the white beans and bake for another 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Serve over rice, pasta, or quinoa.