From-The-Village Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini is the perfect way to enjoy your fresh summer zucchini! Serve this easy dish with a side salad and garlic bread for the perfect family meal!

How to make Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

For the Zucchini:

• 4 large zucchini, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (about ¾ cup)
• Celtic sea salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ pound ground beef, turkey or lamb
• 1¾ cups Mineral-Rich Bone Broth or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• ¾ cup Arborio or long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg white (save the yolk for the sauce)

For the Avgolemono Sauce:

• 3 egg yolks
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Celtic sea salt
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. To prepare the zucchini: Use a corer, melon baller, or sharp spoon to hollow out the zucchini halves. The remaining walls of the vegetable should be thin, yet sturdy enough to hold the meat stuffing. Mince the scooped-out zucchini pulp and set it aside.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, adding a pinch of salt to help the onions soften. Cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
3. Increase the heat under the pan to medium-high, add the ground meat, and cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully drain off the excess fat, then return the onion-garlic mixture to the pan along with 1 cup of the broth, the rice, dill, parsley, mint, lemon zest, pepper, and the minced zucchini pulp. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer the stuffing to a large bowl and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Add egg white and mix well.
5. Using a spoon, fill the hollowed zucchini halves with the stuffing pressing gently to make sure it fills the whole cavity. Set the stuffed zucchinis in the same pan and add the remaining ¾ cup broth. Cover the pan and simmer until the zucchinis are tender, about 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile prepare the avgolemono sauce: Heat a small saucepan over low heat. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until frothy, then transfer to the saucepan. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice, followed by a stream of the hot—but not boiling—chicken broth. Whisk constantly over low heat until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Plate the stuffed zucchini and glaze them with the sauce. Drizzle the zucchini with the olive oil and sprinkle them with seas salt. Garnish with feta cheese if desired.

Reprinted from WILD MEDITERRANEAN by arrangement with Pam Krauss Books/Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2017, Stella Metsovas