And You Can Stuff Them, Too!

In Friday's post, I mentioned that I've been known to stuff zucchini.  This is not really traditional Southern fare, but it's really good.  Here's how I do it.

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Stuffed Zucchini:

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2 medium Zucchini squash.
1 recipe Meat Stuffing.
Mozzarella or Provolone cheese slices.
Aluminum foil.

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Slice each squash in half lengthwise.

Using a spoon, scrape the seeds out of each half, in order to provide room for the stuffing.

Optional step: For more tender zucchini, wrap individual zucchini slices loosely in foil and bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Spoon stuffing loosely into zucchini halves.

Cover stuffing in each zucchine half with cheese slices.

Wrap each of the individual stuffed zucchini halves in foil, loosely, in order that the cheese doesn't come into contact with the foil (and come off in the foil when you unwrap them).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove from foil and serve.

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Meat Stuffing for Zucchini:

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1/2 pound lean ground beef.
2 1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage links.
1 small can whole tomatoes.
1/4 C Italian-style breadcrumbs.
1/4 C Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
1 Shallot, minced.
1/2 t dried oregano.
1/2 t dried sweet basil.
Salt.
Black pepper.

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Remove casing from sausage.  Split the casing with a sharp paring knife, then remove the sausage meat.  Pull the sausage meat apart into bite-size (preferably smaller than bite-size, actually) pieces.

In a heavy skillet over MEDIUM heat, cook the sausage pieces until about half done (still showing a good bit of pink).

Add the ground beef.  Crumble it as you put it into the skillet.  This is easier if the ground beef is referigator-cold.

Just before the ground beef is fully browned, remove from heat and drain through a collander.  Rinse the meat mixture in cold water, in order to rinse off excess fat.  Allow to drain, but not too much, after rinsing.

Return the meat to the skillet, which you have removed from the heat.  Stir in the garlic, shallots, oregano, and (optionally) basil.

Drain the tomatoes, retaining the liquid.  Chop the tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.  Add chopped tomatoes and retained tomato liquid to the meat/herb mixture in the skillet.

Cook mixture over LOW heat until half of the liquid has evaporated.  This step is necessary in order that the dry herbs get moistened and softened, and so the flavors of the dry herbs can permeate the mixture.

Allow to cool, then sprinkle breadcrumbs and grated cheese over mixture.  Stir well.

Makes enough stuffing for 2 medium-size zucchinis (4 pieces), and then some.

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Happy cooking!