Zucchini Boats With Lamb And Yogurt Fillings Food

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Use a melon baller to separate and remove seeds and pulp separately from the zucchini, carving out each half and leaving about a half-inch shell. Chop zucchini pulp into pieces about 1/4 inch in diameter. Discard seeds.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground lamb; continue to cook and stir until lamb is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir chopped zucchini into the lamb mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer mixture until the zucchini is hot, about 3 minutes. Drain excess grease. Season lamb mixture with coarse salt and black pepper.
• Remove skillet from heat. Stir tomato sauce, tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts, and 1/4 cup mint leaves through the lamb mixture; spoon into the zucchini halves. Put stuffed zucchini halves into a large baking dish. Pour water into the baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Mix bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mint leaves over the zucchini and top with the bread crumb mixture. Continue baking until the top is crusty and browned, about 10 minutes more.

ZUCCHINI BOATS WITH LAMB AND YOGURT FILLINGS

Steps:

• Place the yogurt in a paper-towel-lined sieve and let drain for 2 hours. Meanwhile, halve 4 of the zucchini lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and flesh. Sprinkle the insides with 2 teaspoons of the salt, place cut side down on paper towels and let drain for 2 hours. Cut 3 of the remaining zucchini into small dice, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, place in a sieve and let drain for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, finely dice the last zucchini. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and finely diced zucchini and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Crumble the lamb into the skillet and stir until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Add the mint and olives.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat all of the drained zucchini dry. Stir the diced zucchini into the yogurt and set aside. Divide the lamb mixture among the zucchini shells and place in a shallow baking dish that's been lightly oiled. Top with the yogurt mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the zucchini and place under the broiler until browned. Place 2 stuffed zucchini halves on each of 4 plates and serve.

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.

ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Trim and discard zucchini ends. Working with the 3 widest, cut across width into 2inch lengths. Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop out inner meat and seeds of each 2-inch piece, leaving a thin base at bottom so "boat" stands for stuffing. Place scooped-out centers into a food processor.
• Roughly chop remaining zucchini. Add to food processor and puree until well chopped.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch zucchini boats just until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Immediately refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and arrange, flatside down, in a large jelly roll pan or roasting pan.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add reserved chopped zucchini and saute until liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Stir in nuts, cook for 1 minute, then add cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook until cream thickens, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and all bread crumbs. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.
• Using a tablespoon or pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, stuff zucchini boats with cream mixture. Pour boiling water into pan containing filled zucchini boats until it rises about 1/4-inch, to form a water bath. Bake 15 minutes.
• Heat broiler. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over tops and place under broiler until slightly golden, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI BOATS ON THE GRILL

Steps:

• Prepare the grill for indirect heat.
• Place the zucchini in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp to about 1/4 inch from the skin. Chop pulp.
• In a bowl, mix the zucchini pulp, bread pieces, bacon bits, olives, jalapeno, green chile peppers, onion, tomato, and Cheddar cheese. Season with basil, seasoned salt, and pepper.
• Stuff the zucchini halves with the pulp mixture. Seal each stuffed half in aluminum foil.
• Place foil packets on the prepared grill over indirect heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.

MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB-STUFFED ZUCCHINI WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut off and reserve the stem ends of the zucchini and with a zucchini corer hollow out the zucchini, being careful not to pierce the skins and leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Chop the zucchini flesh and reserve it.
• In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the lamb with the allspice, the mint, salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until it is no longer pink. Transfer the lamb with a slotted spoon to a sieve to drain, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet, and in the skillet sauté the onion, stirring, until it is softened. Stir in the garlic, the reserved zucchini flesh, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté the mixture until it is golden. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the lamb mixture, the pine nuts, and 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, and let the filling cool. Stuff the zucchini with the filling and put the reserved stem ends back in place over the cut ends, securing them with wooden picks. Arrange the zucchini on a steamer rack set over simmering water, steam them, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are tender, and let them cool slightly.
• In the top of a double-boiler set over simmering water whisk together the remaining yogurt and the cornstarch mixture, stirred, cook the sauce, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened, and let it cool slightly.
• Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1-inch rounds, arrange the rounds on a platter, and spoon a dollop of the sauce onto each round. Sprinkle the zucchini rounds with the sesame seeds and serve them at room temperature.