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Stuffed with a simple and light-but-satisfying artichoke and rice filling, this recipe can be adapted for meat eaters and vegetarians alike to make anyone’s taste buds happy!
Heat oven to 425 F and place rack in the top third of the oven. Halve the zucchini lengthwise (without trimming the ends) and use a spoon to scrape out the inner flesh containing the seeds, leaving a fairly thick “shell” of zucchini skin and flesh. Arrange the shells, cavity up, in a 9×13 pan or similar sized baking dish, keeping them as level as possible (use foil to prop them up if necessary).
Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a separate small dish, then use a brush or your fingers to thinly coat the cavities and the cut part of the zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are beginning to brown on top and are easily pierced with a fork. Very large zucchini will require much longer roasting time, up to 45 minutes. When done, remove them from the oven. Decrease oven temperature to 400 F.
Let the zucchini cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then them tip carefully into the sink to drain some of the liquid. Place them cut side down on a clean dish towel or a couple layers of paper towels, to continue to absorb excess moisture.
To make the filling, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot (a Dutch oven or deep skillet) over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano. Stir until fragrant, another minute or two. Add bell pepper and artichoke hearts and cook for another minute to slightly soften the pepper. Pour in the wine, scraping the pan to release the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Increase heat to medium high, bring to a low boil for a minute, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until almost all the wine has cooked off.
With heat on low, stir in butter, ½ tablespoon at a time, melting after each addition. Add lemon juice and zest, the cooked rice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir until mixed. Turn off heat and add the cooked ground beef (or lentils), parsley, Parmesan, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Wipe dry and lightly oil the pan used to roast the zucchini. Rearrange the cooked zucchini “shells” in the pan, then spoon in the filling, packing it in with a spoon and heaping it above the cut plane. Spoon additional filling into the open space in the pan to help hold up the zucchini as it cooks. Top each stuffed zucchini with cheese slices (cut the slices to fit, if necessary). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is browned and melted on top (if you don’t like burnt cheese, cook for only 10 to 15 minutes). Remove from oven.
Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Then carefully lift them out of pan with a tongs and your hands or a second set of tongs, to keep the zucchini from breaking or separating from the filling. If the zucchini are larger, cut them in the pan before serving. Serve with salt and pepper.
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