It’s summer squash time.
Whether you call them zucchini, courgette or yellow squash they’re all summer squash – and all the same in my opinion.
I’ve seen lots of recipes and more than a few comments that more recipes are needed…. Not by the same people (I assume).
I thought I would throw a few of my own into the mix.
I’ve also seen a few posts with rather complicated instructions on how to scoop out the interior (melon baller?) and prep the resulting shell (parboil?) to make stuffed zucchini.
I thought I would explain how to do it the easy way.
Stuffed Zucchini (Courgette) with Beef, Basil and Quinoa
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini or summer squash (courgette), 7″ each (17cm)
- 5oz (150gr) ground beef
- 2 large red tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 large green tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small can (4oz, 120gr) green chilies, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- large bunch of basil, big leaves torn, small left whole
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/3 cup (2.4oz, 65gr) quinoa
- 2/3 cup (5oz, 150ml) beef stock
Instructions:
- The zucchini:
- Cut zucchini in half the long way.
- The interior is soft – just take a spoon, draw a line down the center pressing lightly, then repeat the line, pressing harder each time, scraping out the seeds and flesh and forming long boat-like shells. Leave 1/4″ (.6cm) at either end to hold in the filling.
- Put them in a baking dish, single layer, cover with foil and bake, 400F (200C), for 15 minutes while you make the filling.
- Remove and keep covered until ready to fill.
- The filling:
- Cook quinoa in stock until done, about 15 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, pepper and garlic, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add meat to skillet and cook, breaking it up as it browns.
- Add red tomatoes, spices to skillet and cook until tender 5 minutes.
- Stir in basil, quinoa and set aside.
- The finish:
- Spoon the filling into the zucchini. Any filling that doesn’t fit, just keep warm and serve on the side.
- Cover zucchini with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
- While zucchini bakes heat green tomato and green chilies in a saucepan until tomatoes are tender. Keep warm until needed.
- Serve squash with tomato / chili sauce on the side.
No, I didn’t forget the cheese…. Add it if you like, but I decided to enjoy it as is.
The one and only way to keep from having giant summer squash / zucchini in your garden is to pick them all when they are small.
Besides, Baby Zucchini are equally fun to stuff and have as a starter or side dish.
These reminded me of Banana Splits when I was making them.
Of course, when they get a bit bigger you can slice the the long way and do other fun stuff….
Like these:
Zucchini Ricotta Rolls with Pesto Rosso
Or
As for a simple vegetable side dish….
Simple Fried Zucchini is one of our favorites
Have a look at Spring and Summer Vegetables and you’ll find about 30 more side dish recipes and on First Course Vegetables another 15 or so first course squash recipes.
Happy Summer!
My ice-cream scoop is always close at hand, and has become my default seed-scooper. I understand your preference for the spoon, but I don’t trust my own impatience with firmer veggies and would fear bending everyday cutlery 🙁
I want the ones that are wrapped in bacon!
Makes you believe zucchini is the miracle of the century.
Amerloc, my summer squashes are pretty easy to clean out – for the winter squashes I have a really sturdy, pointed spoon LOL
Pam, always a good choice. Bacon makes everything (almost) better
Tanna, well, it is, isn’t it ;-))