Tidings Cooking Challenge – Stuffed Zucchini

By / Food / September 25th, 2009 / 1

Welcome to the Tidings Cooking Challenge! Every month we’ll offer a recipe for you to try. You can follow the recipe exactly or vary it however you would like. Then, post a comment below — a short descriptive paragraph (up to 150 words).

Stuffed zucchini isn’t the most glamorous sounding dish, but the results are absolutely fantastic. It’s one of those recipes that doesn’t need much at all in the way of ingredients or preparation time, yet makes a quick and impressive meal for a weeknight or for company. They can be filling, so serve them for lunch with a tossed green salad. Or, choose small zucchini and serve them alongside a roast, breaded pork chops or grilled sausages. The recipe actually uses white sauce to help bind the ingredients together. But, I prefer to use home-made chicken gravy. The results were fantastic – just as flavourful as the original.

Stuffed Zucchini

Serves 6

For the zucchini

8 to 10 small or medium zucchini

White Sauce (recipe follows)

3 Tbsp chopped parsley

1/4 cup salami, chopped

1/4 cup pancetta, chopped

2 Tbsp plain breadcrumbs

Salt

Pepper

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

White Sauce

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup hot milk

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Salt, to taste

 


For Stuffed Zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13″x9″ baking dish. Wash zucchini. Fill a medium saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add zucchini. Cook over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Zucchini should be barely tender. Drain. Rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

2. Meanwhile sauté pancetta until crisp. Set aside. Prepare White Sauce (see below). Trim off ends and slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp with a small spoon.

3. Combine zucchini pulp, parsely, salami, pancetta, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add White Sauce; mix well. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Fill zucchini shells with pulp mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place stuffed zucchini in a buttered baking dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until zucchini have a light-golden crust. Serve hot with a chilled glass of Savagnin.

White Sauce

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. When butter foams, whisk in flour. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let flour brown.

2. Carefully whisk in hot milk quickly to prevent lumps. Cook sauce 2 to 3 minutes longer, whisking constantly, until it reaches a medium thick consistency. Add nutmeg, parmesan and salt; stir well. If lumps remain, strain the sauce through a sieve.

 


There are a few different ways of varying this recipe to suit your own tastes. Use your favourite type of squash instead of zucchini, if you’d like. Acorn or buttercup varieties would be particularly nice because they have a delicate and slightly sweet flavour. Use any kind of meat filling you prefer instead of salami and pancetta. Just make sure to cook it through before combining it with the rest of the ingredients. I prefer the flavour of chicken gravy instead of white sauce in this dish, so here’s my very simple recipe for that substitution.

Chicken Gravy

2 Tbsp olive oil or butter

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup hot chicken broth

Salt, to taste

1. Heat olive oil or melt butter until foamy in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Carefully whisk in hot broth to prevent lumps. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes longer, whisking constantly, until sauce reaches a medium thick consistency. Pour into prepared zucchini pulp mixture.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemary Mantini has always loved words. When she isn't working as the Associate Editor at Tidings Magazine, she's helping others achieve their writing dreams, and sometimes she even relaxes with a good book and a glass of wine.

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