Stuffed baked zucchinis

Anne Savage | Contributor

From peppers to kale, the garden is in full swing, but there are two things I can’t seem to eat enough of to keep up with the productions, zucchinis and cherry tomatoes. THIS is what my fridge feels like right now.

This recipe is based on a rice pilav recipe that we make all the time, but instead of using marjoram and turmeric to season the rice, it is seasoned with oragano and rosemary. The rice mixture is moist and savory and stays moist even after baking.

This recipe doesn’t call for much cheese, so if you like more cheese, by all means add more! I top the zucchinis with sliced cherry tomatoes, but you can use roma tomatoes as well.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• pinch of salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup dried orzo (pasta shaped like rice)
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 3/4 cups of vegetable broth
• 4 medium zucchinis
• 2 tablespoons diced parsley
• cherry tomatoes (approx. 24)
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano
• 1 cup italian bread crumbs

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan. Stir in chopped onions. Saute until lightly browned. Add rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in pasta and saute until the pasta browns a little. Stir in brown rice and saute for 2-3 min. Add broth and stir once. Cover and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 minutes.

While the rice is cooking prepare the zucchinis. Cut the ends off and slice them in half lengthwise. With a small paring knife and a spoon, cut out the center of the zucchini and scoop it out with a spoon. Dice and set aside the parts you removed that are not too full of seeds. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the zucchini halves on a greased cookie sheet. Brush them with a little olive oil and lightly salt an pepper them. Bake the zucchinis for 12 minutes.

When the rice is finished, add the diced zucchini and parsley. Cover and set aside. When the zucchinis are finished baking, remove them from the oven and fill each half with the rice mixture. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes and cover with the cheese bread crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until the top has browned and the zucchinis are soft.

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Anne Savage is a professional photographer living in Dexter. She specializes in food photography and is an experimental cook and avid gardener. Much of her food photography and many of her recipes can be found at http://thesavagefeast.com.