Stuffed zucchini with meat and rice - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen
In honor of stuffed zucchini week, here's another classic version, at least in my family: zucchini stuffed with meat and rice. You can also stuff them with the same mixture: bell peppers, onions, and eggplant. They're delicious, so use whatever's cheap and looks good at the farmers market that week.
- 3 zucchini
- 1 medium onion
- 500 grams of ground meat
- 1 carrot
- 1 jar (411 g) of diced tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 jar (411 g) of tomato sauce
- 3 cups of cooked rice
- 6 slices of Gouda or Chanco cheese
- salt, oil, merkén and pepper
- Cook the zucchini for 5 minutes in boiling salted water (or in the microwave; see instructions in the introduction). Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh and seeds, and use in the filling.
- In a baking dish or ovenproof casserole dish, pour the canned tomato sauce and cover the entire bottom, season with salt and pepper. Place the zucchini ready to be stuffed on top.
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C or 400 °F.
- Chop the carrot, the flesh of the zucchini, and the onion into small squares.
- In a medium skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned.
- Add the carrot, the zucchini flesh, and the diced tomatoes, stir well, and add salt and pepper. Finally, add the rice and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- With the resulting mixture, fill the zucchini, cover with a slice of cheese and bake until hot and the cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Why are zucchini sometimes bitter, and what can I do?
Zucchini can turn bitter when the plant is stressed by lack of water or excessive heat. Since it's impossible to know the exact growing conditions, I recommend always tasting raw zucchini to ensure you're not spoiling the other ingredients. Generally, with the adoption of drip irrigation, the problem of bitter zucchini has decreased considerably.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of jarred tomatoes?
Yes, no problem with this recipe. Two medium tomatoes.
Can I cook zucchini in the microwave instead of in water?
Yes, wash the zucchini and pierce them about 6 times with a fork and cook for 3 minutes on high power, be careful they will be hot.
Generally, I make this recipe when I have leftover cooked rice or pine nuts, so it's not so laborious.
Description
Tasty all year round.
