Zucchini Relleno Food

COLOMBIAN-STYLE ZUCCHINI RELLENOS

Steps:

• Using a small spoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of the zucchini halves, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell on each half.
• Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside 2/3 of a cup to use in the meat filling, saving the rest to use in another recipe.
• Drop the zucchini in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and drain.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon cumin until browned and cooked through, breaking up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl.
• Add the oil to the skillet and cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes, until it creates a sauce.
• To the skillet, add 2/3 cup of the reserved chopped zucchini and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
• Return the cooked meat to the skillet and simmer covered for about 8 minutes until tender. Add the chopped hard boiled eggs and cook 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting salt and pepper to taste as needed.
• On a clean working surface, fill the hollowed out zucchinis with the meat filling, dividing equally between each one.
• Place the broth in large deep 6-quart saucepan with a fitted lid. Heat over medium heat and add the stuffed zucchini halves into the saucepan, cover and reduce heat to low, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and cooked through.

CHILE RELLENO

Steps:

• Rice and beans, for serving, if desired
• Heat grill to medium.
• Grill and char the chiles on both sides. Once blackened put in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to sweat out any moisture. Remove from the bag, slit them down the middle and remove the seeds. Stuff the peppers with the queso fresco and use toothpicks to hold them together.
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Add the egg whites to a large bowl. Reserve the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites with an electric beater until the whites fluff up. Add in the flour and the egg yolks and mix until completely incorporated.
• Add the oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Dip the stuffed peppers into the batter and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the oil to a serving platter.
• Add the tomatoes and water to a small pot over medium heat. Simmer the tomatoes until soft and stir in the garlic and chicken broth powder.
• Add the 1/4 cup of oil to a frying pan, over low heat, and stir in the flour to make a roux mixture. Cook the flour until browned, then add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add the oregano.
• Pour the tomato sauce over the cooked chile rellenos on the serving platter and serve.
• If desired, serve with rice and beans.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Char the chiles.
• Turn a gas burner on high. Char the chiles on the burner grate, turning with tongs (Marcela is a pro and uses her hands!), until blackened all over. Or char the chiles under the broiler.
• Let them soften.
• Transfer the charred chiles to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and close. Let stand 10 minutes. The chiles will steam in the bag, making them soft and easy to peel.
• Remove the skin.
• Gently rub the chiles with paper towels to remove as much skin as possible. It's okay if a few flecks remain-they'll add flavor, so don't rinse them off.
• Open the chiles.
• Using a paring knife, make a slit across the top of a chile just below the stem, leaving the stem intact. Starting from the middle of the slit, slice lengthwise down to the tip of the pepper (cut through only one layer). Open the chile like a book and pull out the seeds and inner membranes. You may need to use a paring knife to loosen the top of the seedpod. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Prepare the sauce.
• Puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a blender until smooth. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato puree and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; the sauce will be broth-y. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Make the filling.
• Place the cheese in a bowl, then add the oregano, crumbling and rubbing it with your fingers to release its flavor. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the chiles.
• Fill each chile with about 1/4 cup cheese mixture. Fold in the sides to cover the filling, then thread 2 toothpicks across the seam to form an X. You will probably need to make a second toothpick X to secure each chile so the filling doesn't leak out when you fry.
• Mix the batter.
• Beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and beat 3 more minutes.
• Batter and fry.
• Heat about 1 inch vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Dredge: Pour flour into a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat the stuffed chiles with the flour.
• Batter: Holding each chile by the stem, lower it into the egg batter to cover completely. Let any excess batter drip off.
• Fry: Add the chiles to the hot oil, 1 or 2 at a time; fry, flipping once with tongs, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Eat!
• Place a fried chile on each plate and pour the warm sauce over it. Serve immediately.

25+ BEST ZUCCHINI RECIPES: BAKED ZUCCHINI RECIPE WITH PARMESAN AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix together the grated Parmesan, thyme, and spices in a medium bowl.
• Prepare a large baking sheet that's topped with a wire baking rack. Lightly brush the wire baking rack with extra virgin olive oil (or use a healthy cooking spray.) Place the zucchini spears, skin-side down, on the baking rack in a single layer. Brush each one with extra virgin olive oil.
• Sprinkle the herb and cheese topping on each zucchini stick so they are all lightly coated.
• Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. For a crispy golden topping, broil for 2 to 3 minutes more. Watch it carefully so the zucchini does not burn.
• Serve immediately as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, or as a side next to your protein of choice.

EASY ZUCCHINI RELISH

Steps:

• Toss zucchini and onion with salt in a large bowl. Refrigerate overnight to drain. Rinse vegetables with cold water and drain well.
• Mix dry mustard, celery seed, nutmeg, and black pepper in a bowl.
• Heat vinegar, sugar, spice mix, zucchini mixture, and red bell pepper in a large pot over medium heat. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the vegetables into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 25 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all).

URUGUAYAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI (ZAPALLITOS RELLENOS)

Steps:

• Bake the zucchini in a preheated 375F oven for 30 minutes, until soft but not mushy.
• Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the onion until golden brown.
• Combine the bread crumbs, milk, egg, cooked onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl, stirring to combine.
• Slice the zucchini in two lengthwise and scoop out the pulp.
• Chop the pulp coarsely and stir into the bread crumb mixture.
• Fill the zucchini shells with the mixture.
• For the topping, combine the bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the zucchini.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven until the topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

ZUCCHINI RELLENO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
• Scatter the scallions in the pot.
• Spread the zucchini in a layer and season lightly with salt. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using.
• Scatter in the bell pepper strips and top with half of the cheese. Cover with the pinto beans. Blanket with the green chiles.
• Add the rest of the cheese and top with the tomatoes. Tuck the oregano sprigs in the crevices.
• Spray each side of the tortillas with olive oil. Cut the tortillas in half and roll each half separately. Position the rolled tortilla halves on top of the other ingredients in the pot. Spray well with olive oil.
• Cover and bake for about 35 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
• nutrition information
• Calories: 500
• Protein: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 66g
• Fat: 19g
• Cholesterol: 50mg
• Sodium: 153mg
• Fiber: 16g

BAKED CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Roast peppers on the top rack of the preheated oven until the skins are charred, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Set the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• While peppers are cooling, whisk eggs, flour, milk, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. Slice the queso fresco into eight even rectangles, just shorter than the length of the peppers.
• Carefully peel off the waxy skin of the cooled peppers. Gently cut a slit down the length of the peppers and use a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes.
• Spread about 1/4 cup of the milk mixture on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Wrap each pepper around a queso fresco rectangle. Place each chile/cheese wrap seam-side down in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the egg mixture has risen and the cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Prepare the tomato salsa: Put a large pot of water on to boil. When the water starts to bubble, add the serrano chiles and whole tomatoes, and turn down the heat. After 10 minutes of low simmering, strain.
• Add the serranos, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to a blender with 1/2 cup water, and purée until smooth. Add the tomatoes, then purée until almost totally smooth. (Some larger pieces of tomato are fine, and give the salsa texture.)
• In a large saucepan that will hold all of the salsa, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook until soft and slightly golden on the edges, about 5 minutes, then add the salsa and turn off the heat.
• Prepare the chiles: Using tongs, char two poblanos at a time over the open gas flame (or all six under your broiler, turning them often). The chiles should be blackened all over, and tender to the touch, which takes about 10 minutes. As you finish them, put them on a plate and cover for about 10 minutes.
• Use your finger to gently push and peel away the blackened outer skin of the charred chile. Remove as much as you can, but it's OK if a few small pieces are left; don't worry about it. Use a knife to slice each chile lengthwise, leaving an inch or so on each end, and remove the seeds (again, it's OK if some remain). Fill the chiles with cheese to fit, but make sure the chile can still close along its seam when you pinch it shut.
• Prepare the batter: Separate the eggs, and beat the whites with a whisk attachment until thick and frothy, like meringue. Add the yolks, and beat for another minute, just to incorporate.
• Fry the chiles: In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat about 3 inches of oil over medium until a small drop of batter sizzles vigorously when you add it to the oil. Put the flour on a plate, and roll a chile in the flour so it's completely covered. Push it down into the batter, turn it around gently, and use the stem to pull it out - it will look like a vaguely chile-shaped cloud.
• Gently lay the chile down in the hot oil, seam side up. The chile should immediately start to sizzle and lightly color. Spoon hot oil over any exposed parts of the chile, cooking for about 2 minutes, or until the top of the chile is evenly golden brown, then remove and place on a paper-towel-lined rack to drain. Repeat with each chile.
• When you're ready to sit down and eat, heat the salsa over medium, and season it to taste with salt. Place the fried chiles in the pan. (Work in batches if you have to, so the chiles aren't crowded.) Let them simmer gently for a few minutes, then serve immediately with extra salsa spooned over the top.

COSTA RICAN ZAPALLITOS RELLENOS (STUFFED ZUCCHINI)

Steps:

• Boil the zucchinis until tender, apprx 8-10 minutes.
• let cool, cut in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the insides and place in a strainer, Force as much liquid out as possible.
• Combine the squash paste, egg, grated cheese,& milk, mix well.
• Fill the zucchini shells.
• Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese (get them ready up to this point and then just pop them in the oven 15 minutes before serving).
• Heat in 350F oven for apprx 10-15 minutes or until the parmesan is browned and they are heated through.