Recipe: Zuccanoes

This is a yummy, vegetarian dish featuring a prolific summer vegetable we always seem to have too much of… I love this recipe just the way it is though I usually add the cheese halfway through the baking time to minimize burning. Any leftover “filling” is perfect for lunch the next day!

Stay tuned throughout July for some more great zucchini recipes!

Zuccanoes
from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini (about 2 lbs)
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb minced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups minced almonds or pecans (lightly toasted)
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
Black pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
A few pinches of freshly minced (or dried) herbs (any combination of parsley, basil, dill, thyme, or marjoram)
1 cup (packed) grated Swiss or cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Cut the zucchini lengthwise down the middle. Use a smallish spoon to scoop out the insides, leaving a canoe with a 1/4-inch shell. Mince the insides, and set everything aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and salt, and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft (5-8 minutes).
3. Add the minced zucchini innards and the mushrooms. Turn up the heat and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring, letting the liquid evaporate. Stir in the garlic and remove from heat.
4. Stir in the rice and nuts, along with the lemon juice, and season to taste with black pepper, cayenne, and the herbs of your choice.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill the zucchini shells, top with cheese, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through.