Squashed plans lead to zucchini | Rutland Bites

Let’s face it, most of our travel plans for the near future are not happening. Instead, we are spending more time closer to home than usual. At least we should be. Sadly, we are missing out on all kinds of experiences in the process. Take my honeymoon plans to the Mediterranean, for instance. Considering that Americans are currently not welcome in Europe, it’s not looking promising for our October getaway.

But just because we can’t travel to the places we’d like to visit right now, doesn’t mean we can’t get to know them from home. We can learn and experience the world, to some small degree, by cooking its food in our own kitchens. I know it’s not nearly the same as visiting somewhere in person and our home-cooked versions won’t taste quite the same. Yet we need to find ways to make the best of this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year however we can.

With all that is going on, I haven’t had much motivation to cook in weeks. But I’m realizing that I can sit around, engulf myself in the daily news and feel depressed, or I can continue to learn and grow, even if that is done through food. Now more than ever, we need to take the time to better understand each other and I’ve always considered food to be a means of accomplishing that goal.

That’s why for the near future I’m focusing on sharing recipes inspired by destinations and cultures I’d like to visit or get to know better. And probably a few I’ve already visited, as well. In the process, I’ll incorporate fresh ingredients from my garden and some from our wonderful local farms.

That said, no matter where I looked for inspiration this week, I had to consider zucchini. It’s the time of year when we’re picking a zucchini or two out of our garden each day. I know that sounds boring. And where, exactly does zucchini even come from? It’s prevalence in our home gardens and farmers markets might make you think it’s a purely American vegetable. But that’s not the whole story.

Zucchini, like other varieties in the squash family, can actually be traced back to the Americas from hundreds of years ago. Though the zucchini that we know today originated in Italy in the 19th century. It was later brought back to the United States in the 1920s by Italian immigrants. The word “zucchini” is the plural of the Italian word “zucchino,” which means “pumpkin” or “squash.”

There are many ways to cook zucchini and many cultures who consider it a staple. From its inclusion in the French summer vegetable dish ratatouille, to Mexican zucchini quesadillas, to fried zucchini flowers that are enjoyed in various areas of the world. The prolific nature of the vegetable has motivated creative uses across the globe.

When I can, I like to look for ways to make vegetables, especially those we grow ourselves, into the stars of our meals, not just a side dish or hidden component. One of the best ways to do that with zucchini is to stuff it. Stuffing vegetables is common practice in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and potatoes are all fair game. Even leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, chard, and grape leaves are prone to stuffing.

I appreciate this stuffed zucchini recipe, because not only is the zucchini the star, it is a simple recipe and that’s not always the case when it comes to stuffed vegetables. Which is probably why Yotam Ottolenghi and his collaborators chose to include it in their book, “Ottolenghi Simple.” I have made just a few small changes.

Here, the zucchini is more than just a vessel to transfer meat and carbs to your stomach. Part of the reason why is because the meat and usual carbs are not included. The stuffing is made up of zucchini, tomatoes, breadcrumbs, cheese, and herbs and yet, I still found it to be surprisingly filling for such a minimal dish.

If you find that it is too hot to heat up the oven indoors, I don’t blame you. The good news is that you can cook this meal on the grill. Just put your cast iron pan, baking sheet, stone dish or other vessel that can withstand direct heat onto the grill grates. Keep an eye on your grill’s thermometer to maintain the heat to around 400 degrees as the zucchini cook.

Simple Stuffed ZucchiniServes 2

2 medium zucchini

1 garlic glove, minced

1 egg, beaten

2 ounces Parmesan, shredded

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup crushed tomatoes

1 lemon, zested and juiced

¼ cup chopped oregano

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oven/grill to 400 degrees.

Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out some of the flesh, leaving enough to keep the squash intact yet deep enough to hold the stuffing. Place the zucchini shells in a pan or baking sheet. If the scooped-out flesh is watery, press it into a mesh sieve to drain. When drained, or if not watery to begin with, add it to a mixing bowl along with the garlic, egg, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, ¼ teaspoon of salt and the tomatoes.

In a small bowl, mix the lemon zest and juice, chopped herbs, pumpkin seeds and another ¼ teaspoon of salt. Add half of this to the stuffing.

Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the zucchini and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Divide the stuffing mixture among the four zucchini halves. Place in the oven or on the grill and bake for amount 20 minutes until the zucchini are easily pierced. If you would like the stuffing to be browned and a little crispy, place the dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes.

Stir in another tablespoon of olive oil to the remaining herb and seed mixture. When the zucchini are cooked, spoon the mixture over top and serve.