4 small and 1 large zucchini/summer squash, chopped
1/4 C daikon radish, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 C white wine (or 1 T white wine vinegar)
1 T lemon juice
2 C Tomato and Savory Polenta
3-5 C vegetable stock (or as much as you’d like to get it to the thickness you’d like)
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 t dried savory, crumbled
Instructions
Heat a soup pot. Add olive oil. When oil is hot, add all veggies except garlic and tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until veggies are beginning to get tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Add wine and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add tomato, polenta, stock, and remaining seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-60 minutes, or until all veggies are tender and soup is to your desired thickness.
(Optional: If you have squash haters, you could blend the soup.)
As a kid, I remember my mom making Zucchini Bread. She called it “Zoo Bread”. I wonder if she thought that if we didn’t hear the word “zucchini” we might eat it. We did. However, I don’t remember feeling fooled… I think we might have known what was in it. We liked it because it was good.
Today I’m making Roasted Stuffed Squash. But, if it helps anyone in your home to eat them without a fuss, you are welcome to call them “Zoo Boats”.
Or maybe if someone thinks they don’t like squash, but gets to help scoop out the middle, they will be so proud of themselves that they will insist on eating some. Insist.
I used leftover rice. Quinoa would also be delicious (and would add more protein). Adding Italian sausage or ground beef would be great too.
This is kinda like a switcheroo on the classic Stuffed Pepper or Stuffed Tomato. Hey! Why not get creative and make a few different kinds of stuffed items – Peppers, Tomatoes, and Squash! Everyone could have their favorite.
Unfortunately, now I’m craving Zoo Bread. Guess that’s what I’ll be making later on today.
Happy Eating!
Roasted Stuffed Squash
Recipe Type: Main, Side, Vegetable, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
Roasted squash is stuffed with rice, peppers, and onions, then it’s topped with basil. It tastes like summer.
Ingredients
1 medium or large summer squash, sliced lengthwise, center scooped out
1 T olive oil, divided
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 C (heaping) cooked rice
1 large tomato (about 1 C), chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1 t fresh oregano, chopped
1 t fresh basil, chopped
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
1 t fresh sage, chopped
1 T lemon juice
1/4 parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 C gruyère, grated
fresh basil, chopped (for topping)
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Scoop out center of squash. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes (or until tender).
Heat a pan, when it’s hot, add remaining oil. When oil is hot, add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rice, herbs, seasonings, and tomato. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parmesan to rice mixture. Stir and taste. Adjust seasoning if desired. Spoon rice mixture into squash. Top with gruyère and return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve topped with fresh basil. (Could serve whole, or cut in pieces to serve more.)
Notes
Cooking time is actually about 15 minutes because rice mixture cooks while squash roasts. You could save the scooped out portion and add it to the rice mixture, or save it to add to some soup or a pasta sauce! Recipe has since been adapted to include fresh herbs rather than dried. If using dried oregano, basil, thyme, and sage, reduce to 1/4 t of each.
I know that some people hate peas. But, I am not one of them. I mentioned in my post last week that I didn’t like frozen peas as a kid. Now, I can’t get enough of them – in any form.
I love peas.
I love sugar snap peas with bacon and pasta. I’m also crazy about them raw. Pea tendrils? Have you ever tried them? So good with a fried egg on top! Snow peas in Stir Fry are amazing. I wish I was eating that right now (with some tofu or chicken, some bean sprouts and carrots, and a nice slightly sweet sauce…). Frozen peas in Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is one of my favorites.
But now, I have a new love. Pasta + ricotta + ham + carrots + chard + garlic + ENGLISH PEAS = Love love love this meal. Topped with some basil and parmesan cheese… oh boy! (Husband’s response last night after his first bite: “Wow!”)
And it’s good cold, as a pasta salad. Maybe with some German or Italian sausage? How about alongside a Burger? Or with a few other delicious salads?
Why am I coming up with all these meal ideas, I’m not even hungry!
Or I wasn’t…
After I finished filming and taking photos, I stood at my little Ikea island and picked pasta and ricotta out of the bowl and ate it. Someone’s gotta clean up.
1 heaping C (about 40 pods) English peas (shelled)
2 carrots, in long thin ribbons (use a vegetable peeler)
1 bulb green garlic and the green part (just the edible part), minced
3/4 t to 1 t salt
pinch cayenne
pepper, to taste
1/2 to 1 t fresh thyme
1/4 C water
1-2 T lemon juice
3/4 C ham, cooked and thinly sliced
2-3 C chard, roughly chopped
10 oz. ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese (for topping), grated
basil, chopped (for topping)
Instructions
Cook pasta in salted water.
While pasta cooks, heat skillet, and add oil. Add English peas through thyme. Cook over medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add water. Cook 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Add lemon juice, ham, and chard. Cook for 5 minutes (or until ham is heated through and chard is wilted), tossing occasionally with tongs. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Toss cooked pasta with ricotta and a pinch of salt.
Serve pasta topped with veggies and some parmesan and basil.
Heat soup pot. Add oil. When hot, add veggies and salt. Cook covered over med heat stirring occasionally until veggies are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Add seasonings, lemon juice, and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Cook pasta separately, according to package instructions.
Remove soup from heat. Stir in remaining lemon juice then stir in butter.
To serve, place some pasta in a bowl and ladle soup overtop.
