Rachs Stuffed Zucchini Food

PORK SAUSAGE STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Coat bottom of a medium pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the sausage into crumbles, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add oregano and Parmesan and stir to combine.
• Fill each zucchini with the sausage mixture, packing them slightly, and place on a sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

PARMESAN ROASTED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Trim the stem end of the zucchini, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out a small channel of seeds with a regular teaspoon. Place the zucchini in one layer on a sheet pan, brush generously all over with olive oil, and turn the zucchini cut side down. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until just tender but still firm when tested with the tip of a small paring knife.
• Meanwhile, make the bread crumbs. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, basil, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the panko and 3 1/2 tablespoons of oil and mix well.
• Turn the zucchini cut side up and spoon a heaping tablespoon of the panko mixture evenly on each zucchini. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the panko is crispy. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

STUFFED YOUNG ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Halve 4 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. 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.
• Heat the remaining extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the mushrooms, onions and garlic for 5 minutes. 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.
• While the veggies cook, toast the bread in a toaster, then spread liberally with butter and tear into pieces. Add the bread to a food processor along with the parsley and tarragon or basil, and pulse into herb crumbs.
• Fold the herb crumbs into the veggies along with 1/2 cup Parmesan and the egg. Mound the zucchini stuffing in to the shells and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the tops with remaining cheese and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to brown.

RANCH ZUCCHINI FRIES

Steps:

• For the ranch seasoning: Mix together the parsley and/or dill, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the zucchini fries: Adjust 2 oven racks to the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put the wire racks in the baking sheets and coat each generously with cooking spray.
• Combine the flour with half of the ranch seasoning in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Put the eggs in another large plastic bag; put the breadcrumbs in a third large plastic bag.
• Add about a half of the zucchini rounds to the flour, and use a combination of your hands and shaking the bag to coat the zucchini. Remove the zucchini and shake off any excess flour. Transfer to the egg wash and repeat until coated. (It's less messy if you use only one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the wet.) Let any excess egg drip off before transferring to the breadcrumb mixture; repeat until fully coated (you'll still see some green and white of the zucchini peeking through the breading). Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and coat the breaded zucchini generously with cooking spray (there's no need to turn them). Repeat with the remaining zucchini.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom about halfway through, until golden brown and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Make the ranch dressing: Whisk together the remaining ranch seasoning with the buttermilk, mayonnaise and vinegar. Serve with the Ranch Fries.

BURGER OF THE MONTH: GREEN EGGS & LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Step 1For the green harissa, in a dry small skillet, stir the seeds over medium heat until toasted, about 1 minute or so. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to coarsely grind. Add the jalapeños, scallions, garlic, herbs, and lemon juice; season with salt. With the machine running, stream in the EVOO to form a sauce; transfer to a bowl.Step 2In a medium bowl, season the lamb with salt and pepper. Mix in 1 tbsp. EVOO, the red harissa, garlic, and spices. Form into 4 patties (thinner in the centers for even cooking).Step 3Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook the patties for 7 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally; transfer to a plate.Step 4In a small bowl, season the yogurt. Mix in the dill.Step 5In a nonstick skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium. Crack in the eggs and cook until fried, over easy or medium.Step 6Build the burgers by stacking the bun bottoms, the dill-yogurt sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, lamb patties, eggs, green harissa, and bun tops.

ITALIAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a small baking dish with foil. Scoop out the seeds from the zucchini, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell.
• Combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend, the parsley, capicola and lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper, then fill with the ricotta mixture.
• Drizzle each zucchini half with about 1 tablespoon marinara sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend. Transfer to the baking dish and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the zucchini halves with salt and pepper. Add to the baking sheet and turn to coat with the oil. Arrange the zucchini cut-side down in a single layer. Roast until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook 30 seconds. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and chicken broth until combined. Cook until the broth is reduced to a thick sauce, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Turn the zucchini boats cut-side up and fill with the turkey mixture, packing it in. Sprinkle with the cheese and roast until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is softened, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the zucchini boats with the yogurt mixture and top with the dill.