Stuffed Zucchini

Found and old recipe the other day and decide to give it a try with a bit of a twist, I call this my Moroccan Stuffed Zucchini, came out really nice and light, once I added the spice and instead of all tomato sauce I used stock, and the lemon squirted on it at the end on your plate really perked up all the flavors. . .

6 zucchini
1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbs EVOO, greco or spanish
3/4 - 1lb ground lamb or beef (not lean need some fat, or you could mix a ground pork and beef
1/2 cup long grain rice, rinse with cool water
1 can of San Marzano plum tomatoes, plus the juice
1 cup of chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 bunch of flat parsley, roughly chopped
2 tsp grey sea sat
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Half the zucchini (long ways) and remove seeds and pulp using a melon baller or teaspoon, and discard.

Add EVOO to large skillet (you are going to put all the zucchini in it to cook), and heat up. Chop the onion, does not have to be perfectly diced, and add to the skillet with 1/2 the salt and pepper and saute on medium low until translucent (5-8 min). Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. remove skillet from heat.

Take about 1/3 cup of onion mixture and put into bowl to cool slightly. To the bowl add ground meat, rice, salt, pepper, half the parsley and Chinese five spice, mix together with your hands. Once mixed stuff each of the zucchini with the meat mixture, do not pack to tightly, rice will expand as it cooks.

Return skillet to heat, to the remaining onion mixture in it, add the plum tomatoes juice and all, break apart with spoon in skillet, add chicken stock, remaining salt and pepper and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add stuffed zucchini to mixture, simmer covered for 1 hour or until rice is tender. Check seasoning half way through.

Place zucchini on plate and drizzle with left over broth from skillet and serve with lemon wedge.

This is a great light and refreshing dinner.