chopped meat

Recipe: Zucchini Stuffed with Meat

red pepper, zucchini, and lemon, watercolor on paper
red pepper, zucchini, and lemon, watercolor on paper

If you want to cook an impressive, nutritious, and filling main course, zucchini stuffed with meat is a lovely dish. I love painting beautiful vegetables, so this recipe post is also an excuse to show off my zucchini and butternut squash watercolor paintings.

Ingredients

3 – 4 zucchini
1 lb. of chopped meat
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped mushroom
1 stalk of celery
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
1 lemon

Optional:
– 1 tsp. chopped turmeric root
– 1 tsp. chopped ginger root
– 1 tsp. paprika
– 1 tsp. ginger
– 1 tsp. garlic powder
– 1/2 – 1 cup of cooked rice
– herbs such as thyme or oregano

Recipe

Cut 3 zucchini in half. Then cut each zucchini lengthwise so the zucchini can be made into a boat. Scoop out the inside, being careful to leave a hull opening for later storage of the meat. Cut the scooped out zucchini into small chunks and set aside.

Take 1 lb. of chopped meat and add these spices:
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 clove chopped garlic
Mix and place in refrigerator for 1/2 hour or more.

Sauté onion in coconut oil for two minutes. Then mix in the spiced chopped meat.
Add these ingredients:
– the previously chopped zucchini
– 1/2 cup chopped mushroom (I use shiitake or lions mane from Zell’s farm)
– chopped celery, one stalk
– 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
– 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (optional)

Stuff in the zucchini shells. Sprinkle with juice of a lemon. Adding tomato sauce mixed with the lemon juice is optional. Bake for 1/2 hour at 400°.

Notes: if you don’t have cilantro, use parsley. It won’t have the cilantro flavor, but not everyone is crazy about cilantro anyway.

Optional: add chopped turmeric root along with the chopped garlic clove. Or chopped ginger root. See also optional spices in the ingredients list.

This recipe can be made in stages over a few days.

Variations

Butternut squash, red onion, garlic, Thanksgiving 2023, watercolor with ink on paper
One variation is stuffed butternut squash. Cook the butternut squash in the oven for 1.5 hours at 350°. Peel when it cools down. You have to cut and scoop just enough to add the chopped meat stuffing. You won’t have lots of boats like the zucchini, just 2 or 3 big stuffed shells.

You could also stuff some peppers, but I haven’t tried that version yet.

Bon appétit.

Basil Meatloaf

basil in my garden
I invented this recipe because I have lots of basil in my garden. I discovered meatloaf freezes well, so I made it today, and I will serve it to my guests this coming Shabbat.

Ingredients:
1 lb. chopped meat
1 handful or more of basil leaves, chopped
1 onion
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup matza meal
2 eggs (if the mixture looks dry, add a 3rd egg)
seasoning (use any or all of these): salt, pepper, cinnamon, dried ginger, cumin, coriander, allspice, nutmeg, crushed clove

How to Make the Meatloaf:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Transfer to a baking dish – I used a covered casserole dish, but a loaf pan with aluminum foil covering is fine. Bake for 1 hour at 350°.

Leftovers: If you happen to have leftovers, warm up half a jar of tomato sauce and throw in the leftovers. You can add more fresh basil, if you have. I served this on spaghetti, and my daughter said it tasted like special restaurant food.

For more kosher recipes, be sure to visit KCC – the Kosher Cooking Carnival. Please thank Batya while you are there.

Another basil recipe: Basil Pesto on Noodles