Executive Chef John Reis of Harrisburg Hilton shares recipes for stuffed young zucchini and chorizo and bulgur-stuffed zucchini.
Serves 4
Ingredients
· 4 small zucchini, 5 to 6-inches long, 1 1/2-inches thick
· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· 12 crimini mushrooms , chopped
· 1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped
· 3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
· 2 slices olive bread
· softened butter
· 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
· 1/4 cup chopped basil
· 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
· 1 egg, beaten
· 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees
2. Halve four of the small zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and soft center flesh with a spoon to produce a set of shallow shells to hold the stuffing. Reserve the center flesh.
3. Arrange the small hulls in a baking dish. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chop the reserved zucchini flesh and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the mushrooms, onions and garlic for 5 minutes.
5. Add in the reserved zucchini and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, to taste and heat through for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
6. While the veggies cook, toast the bread in a toaster, then spread liberally with butter and cut into small pieces.
7. Add the bread, parsley and basil to the mixture along with the goat cheese and the egg. Mound the zucchini stuffing into the shells and roast for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to brown.
Chorizo and Bulgur-Stuffed Zucchini
Serves: 6 servings, of 2 zucchini each
Ingredients
· 6 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound each)
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 small chopped onion (about 1 cup)
· 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
· 1/2 pound diced Chorizo sausages
· 2 teaspoons ground cumin
· 1 teaspoon ground coriander
· 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
· 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
· 1 cup cooked bulgur (1/3 cup uncooked)
· 3 tablespoons dried currants
· 3 tablespoons pine nuts , toasted in a dry skillet over a medium-high flame for 2 minutes
· 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
· 1 cup tomato sauce
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut each zucchini in half crosswise and carefully scoop out zucchini flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch flesh intact on all sides and leaving zucchini closed at the bottom of each half. Reserve zucchini flesh.
3. Arrange the small hulls in a baking dish. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chop the reserved zucchini flesh and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion sand cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add chorizo, cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes and cook 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Add bulgur, diced tomatoes, diced Zucchini flesh and currants and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts, parsley and cubed bread. Let mixture cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using a small spoon or clean hands, gently stuff zucchini halves with the mixture.
8. Place zucchini halves in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over zucchini. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Remove from oven, uncover and rotate zucchini. Recover, return dish to oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until zucchini is cooked through but still slightly firm.
10. Place 2 zucchini halves on a plate and serve with tomato sauce.
