This is a staple recipe in Lebanese kitchens. It is served as a main dish with stuffed grape leaves (same stuffing recipe than the one below). You can also add Lebanese yogurt (Laban) as a side, and dip the stuffed zucchini in the Laban with each bite.
You can also replace the Zucchinis in the recipe below with eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers or grape leaves.
[cooked-sharing]
1. For the stuffing: Combine extra virgin olive oil and 2 TBSP butter in large pan. Once heated, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent (about 7-10 Minutes). Then, add the ground beef and cook until the meat turns brown. Add 7 spices, 1/2 tsp salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, and finish cooking the ground beef. Remove from stove and let slightly cool. Once cooled, combine the ground beef mix with the rice and add the tomato paste. Mix well.
2. Stuff the cored zucchini with the above stuffing (making sure it is fully stuffed by gently tapping the bottom of each zucchini on the counter, which will push the stuffing to fill the zucchini completely), but leave about 1 inch of each zucchini empty at the top. Place 1 slice of the diced tomato in the remaining empty space of each zucchini to seal it.
3. Place the stuffed zucchini in a cooking pot, stuffed side up but slightly tilted. Add tomato sauce, 2 TBSP butter (cut in multiple pieces and spread between the zucchinis), beef broth cube (also cut and spread between the zucchinis), and 1/2 tsp salt. Fill the remaining of the pot with water until it covers the zucchinis by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and zucchinis are tender (about 20 Minutes).
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
1. For the stuffing: Combine extra virgin olive oil and 2 TBSP butter in large pan. Once heated, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent (about 7-10 Minutes). Then, add the ground beef and cook until the meat turns brown. Add 7 spices, 1/2 tsp salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, and finish cooking the ground beef. Remove from stove and let slightly cool. Once cooled, combine the ground beef mix with the rice and add the tomato paste. Mix well.
2. Stuff the cored zucchini with the above stuffing (making sure it is fully stuffed by gently tapping the bottom of each zucchini on the counter, which will push the stuffing to fill the zucchini completely), but leave about 1 inch of each zucchini empty at the top. Place 1 slice of the diced tomato in the remaining empty space of each zucchini to seal it.
3. Place the stuffed zucchini in a cooking pot, stuffed side up but slightly tilted. Add tomato sauce, 2 TBSP butter (cut in multiple pieces and spread between the zucchinis), beef broth cube (also cut and spread between the zucchinis), and 1/2 tsp salt. Fill the remaining of the pot with water until it covers the zucchinis by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and zucchinis are tender (about 20 Minutes).
Enjoy!