What to Cook This Weekend: Zucchini Stuffed Zucchini

It may seem a little strange to stuff something with itself. It’s already stuffed with itself, right? But when you take some of a zucchini out and introduce it to a few other ingredients, what once was merely a side dish turns into the centerpiece of a meal or at the very least, a spectacular side dish. And if you’re cooking with friends, this dish allows you to tell them to “stuff it” without any repercussions.

Serves two as a main course, or four as a side.

Ingredients:
Four medium sized zucchini (about 6 inches in length and an inch in diameter)
One teaspoon olive oil
One medium yellow onion, chopped small
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Trim just the ends off of the zucchini, and slice each in half, lengthwise. Carefully scrape the flesh out of the middle of the zucchini with a spoon (or a pointy ice-cream scoop). You’ll want to leave between 1/4- and 1/2-inch of zucchini around the sides and bottom. Try not to break through on either sides or bottom, to prevent spillage when eating. Put the scraped-out zucchini flesh to the side.

2.  Place the zucchini shells in a good-sized steamer that’s ready to steam. Steam the zucchini for 5 to 7 minutes. You want it just north of tender—a little flimsy but not floppy. If you don’t have a steamer large enough to hold the zucchini, par-boil them for 5 minutes (watching to avoid floppiness) and drain them. Once done, place zucchini shells into a large casserole dish. While the shells steam, chop reserved zucchini flesh. It doesn’t need to be carefully diced, but you don’t want any outstandingly large chunks.

3. Heat up a medium-sized skillet or sauté pan to medium-high and add oil. Now’s a good time to get the oven preheating to 350 degrees.

4. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Sauté the onion on medium-high for about a minute, and then bring the temperature down to solid medium for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is shiny and opaque and a little soft. Add the chopped zucchini flesh to the pan with the onions, along with the 1/4 teaspoons of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir all these new friends together, and then cook them over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

5. In a bowl, mix zucchini-onion combo with bread crumbs, basil, and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Taste. Adjust the seasoning as you feel is needed (I would add a little more hot pepper flakes, but that’s just me). Resist the urge to eat everything in the bowl. Stuff the zucchini shells with the zucchini mixture, and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the now-stuffed zucchini. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 350. You should be able to slip a fork into the zucchini shells with no resistance, but if you can’t, let them bake a few minutes longer.

--A.J. Rathbun

Comments

[Genevieve Austin on January 25, 2008 at 01:06 PM]

Sounds simple and quick enough that as a single, hardly-cooking-mom for the most finicky eater I've encountered --- I think I may attempt to interest him in working on this together. He's six so I'll do most of it - but, looks delicious and I look forward to tasting it. Thanks!

[oldbogus on January 26, 2008 at 08:30 AM]

My wife recommended adding cooked Italian sausage to the stuffing for a great main dish.

[sorina on January 27, 2008 at 12:53 AM]

You have a very nice blog, good post...keep up the good job

[janice on January 27, 2008 at 09:45 AM]

I love squash and this recipe sounds wonderful, and so summery as I look out my window and watch the snow fall. Thanks for the great recipe. Janice