Stuffed here, stuffed there, and what if, to change from traditional stuffed tomatoes, we had fun with other vegetables? Explanations and recipes.
Zucchini, summer squash, eggplant or even peppers; in this season of beautiful days, the choice is vast, colorful and vitamin-rich. So many ingredients to appropriate and fill with all kinds of homemade stuffings, as delicious but offbeat as grandma’s. Indeed, when you cut a zucchini or a pepper in half, you can stuff each half with just about anything your heart desires. So let the music play!
How to make summer stuffed vegetables?
Preparing vegetables
Once the vegetable is washed and cut in half according to the shape, use a spoon to hollow out its flesh, and scrape a hollow in the center. However, you must remember to leave enough flesh so that the base is thick enough to hold the stuffing in place, about 1 to 2 cm on each side. Some vegetables like peppers, thanks to their more rounded shape, allow you to obtain a small hat, like for classic stuffed tomatoes, when cutting upwards. An adorable edible accessory – to be preserved when preparing the stuffing – which makes all the difference in terms of presentation.
The farce
Once our vegetables have been hollowed out, it’s time to move on to the stuffing. On the menu? A thousand and one combinations, each one tastier than the last. For example, let yourself be tempted by the classic recipe with minced meat flavored with herbs, like stuffed tomatoes. For a 100% vegetarian recipe, opt for a base of your choice: black beans, chickpeas, rice or cereals, which you garnish with colorful seasonal vegetables. Of course, in each recipe, don’t forget to incorporate the flesh you saved beforehand. Iconic sauces like bolognese or pesto are also welcome. Want a comforting touch? Sprinkle your stuffed vegetables with a melted cheese like mozzarella or cheddar. For the finishing touch, add a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, a spoonful of yogurt or a few fresh coriander leaves.
The assembly
Once the stuffing is ready, all that remains is to generously fill our little vegetables. As for quantities, it will depend on the size and number of vegetables to be stuffed. For example, you need about 25g of minced meat for a large pepper. Finally, when everything is assembled, slide it into the oven and cook for 20 to 30 minutes at 180°C.
The tasting
Stuffed vegetables are served very hot, as a starter or main course, accompanied for example by a small green salad or other depending on the stuffing chosen. As you will have understood, for the latter, anything goes. The proof with these 11 recipes for 100% summer stuffed vegetables.
