When it comes to showcasing the flavors of the season in an all-in-one dish, it's hard to beat stuffed vegetables. Filled with other vegetables, grains, cheese, meat or all of the above, stuffed vegetables can be hearty without being heavy.
Some vegetables (and fruits) are natural candidates for stuffing. Sweet and hot peppers, summer and winter squash come immediately to mind. But with a little prep work, tomatoes and eggplants make excellent edible chambers.
Here are some tips for selecting vegetables to stuff:
• Larger summer squash and zucchini are good contenders because they provide big cavities.
• Look for bell peppers with flat bottoms.
• Straight-sided, round peppers are easier to stuff than curled or curved ones.
• To boost the flavor and avoid waste, add any trimmed flesh from the vessel vegetables to the filling.
• Thin-fleshed peppers such as poblano, Anaheim and some sweet peppers don't need to be cooked before stuffing, but if soft, tender stuffed bell peppers are desired, cook the peppers in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain well before filling.
Quinoa and Bean Stuffed Squash
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
Salt
3 medium to large yellow squash or zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small red or purple onion, diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Ground black pepper, to taste
Ground red pepper (cayenne), to taste
1 cup cooked pinto beans, rinsed
21/2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or green onion tops
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa, 1 cup water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18 to 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, cut each squash in half lengthwise. Using a melon baller or the edge of a metal spoon, create a shell by removing flesh from squash, leaving about 1/4 inch on the skin. Place emptied squash halves in a 9-by-11-inch baking dish. Bake the unfilled squash for 5 minutes.
Finely chop the reserved squash flesh.
In a large skillet, heat the oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion and saute until it is translucent. Stir in the chopped squash flesh, bell pepper, chile pepper and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle in the paprika, cumin, coriander, black pepper and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa and beans and stir to combine.
Spoon mixture into partially baked squash shells, mounding it as necessary. Sprinkle with cheese. Return baking dish to oven and cook 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro or green onion just before serving.
Makes 3 main-dish servings or 6 side-dish servings.
We really enjoyed this spiced beef and rice mixture stuffed in bell peppers and piled on eggplant halves. The filling would also work well in acorn squash.
Moroccan-Spiced Beef and Rice
4 medium red or yellow bell peppers OR 2 medium to large eggplant OR 2 acorn squash
Olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound very lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh hot pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon dried mint OR 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint, optional
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins
11/2 cups cooked brown rice or sprouted rice blend
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 (5-ounce) can tomato juice
4 tablespoons mozzarella cheese, optional
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
If using bell peppers: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut tops from the bell peppers. Remove and discard seeds, membranes and cores. Finely dice the flesh around the stem; set aside. Add the hollowed peppers to the boiling water and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well.
If using eggplant or squash: Cut eggplant or squash in half lengthwise. (Remove and discard seeds from squash.) Using a sharp knife, score fresh in a grid pattern, but be careful not to cut through the skin. Arrange halves, skin-side down on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow baking pan. Brush flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 25 minutes or until just tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef, diced pepper flesh (if using), garlic and chile pepper, breaking the beef into crumbles, until beef is no longer pink. Add the mint, cumin and cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the raisins, cooked rice and 1/2 cup vegetable broth.
Spoon mixture into desired vegetable.
For peppers: Arrange peppers upright (opening upward) in a square baking dish. Spoon any remaining rice mixture around peppers. Pour the tomato juice over the peppers and rice. Top with cheese if desired. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese melts and just begins to brown.
For eggplant or acorn squash: Using a spoon, scoop the scored flesh from the halves, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin to make a shell. Stir removed flesh into beef mixture. Spoon mixture into halves, mounding it high. Pour the tomato juice over the filling. Top with cheese, if desired. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Sausage and Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
4 red or yellow bell peppers
3 links hot or mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 red onion, diced
1 green onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces ricotta cheese
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
2 to 4 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
2 cups baby spinach, optional
Salt and ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 cup tomato-basil pasta sauce, optional
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Cut tops from the bell peppers. Remove and discard seeds, membranes and cores. Finely dice the flesh around the stem; set aside. Add the hollowed peppers to the boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Drain well.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onions, garlic and reserved diced bell pepper until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
In a large bowl stir together the ricotta and mozzarella. Stir in the basil, oregano and spinach (if using), then add the cooked sausage and vegetables. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Spoon mixture into peppers.
Arrange peppers standing upright in a baking dish. Spoon a bit of pasta sauce, if using, over each pepper and sprinkle with additional mozzarella. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until filling is heated through and cheese is melted.
Makes 4 servings.
Many recipes call for hollowing out tomatoes before stuffing, with some recipes incorporating the flesh into the filling, but we think there's a simpler way. For stuffed tomatoes that won't be cooked we remove just the core of the tomato and cut it into still-connected quarters so more of the fruit can be enjoyed.
Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes
2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon vinaigrette
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 green onion, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 large ripe tomatoes, cored and peeled if desired
1/2 cup nuts such as chopped pecans, pistachios or slivered almonds
In a medium bowl, combine chicken, bacon, mayonnaise, lemon vinaigrette, celery, green onion, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
Using a sharp knife, make two cuts, as if to quarter the tomato, but do not cut all the way through; gently open tomato quarters, making room for the stuffing.
Spoon chicken salad into each tomato. Garnish with nuts.
Makes 4 servings.
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
2 large or 4 average poblano peppers
Olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup corn kernels, frozen is OK; drain well if using canned
2 green onions
11/4 cups drained, cooked black, pinto or kidney beans
11/4 cups cooked rice, quinoa or other desired grain (we used a seven-grain blend by Seeds of Change)
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin seed
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup shredded cheese such as cheddar and/or Monterey Jack
Chopped cilantro, green onion tops or parsley, for garnish
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
If using large peppers, cut each pepper in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the core, seeds and membranes. If using smaller peppers, using a sharp knife, cut a 1-inch-wide strip running lengthwise from the side of each pepper and carefully remove and discard the core, seeds and membranes, being careful to leave the remaining pepper intact. Finely chop the strips of pepper. Arrange the peppers, opening up, in a baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat just enough oil to coat over medium heat. Add the corn and green onion and chopped pepper strips (if using) and saute 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, rice, chile powder and cumin and cook until beans and rice are heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into peppers. Sprinkle cheese over filling. Bake 20 minutes or until peppers are tender and beginning to brown.
Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, green onion or parsley.
Makes 4 servings.
Sunday Digest on 08/23/2015