Recipe: Stuffed zucchini and squash

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/themarmot/ / CC BY 2.0

During Boston summers, the popular joke is that you'd better not forget to lock your car doors.  Why?  Because if you do, you may return to find your vehicle stuffed floor to ceiling with unwanted zucchini. 

Like summer squash, pattypans, and a wide variety of other squash, zucchini grow like weeds, and can be hard to keep up with.  Here's a recipe that turns them into a hearty entree the whole family will enjoy.

Stuffed Zucchini (and other Squash)

Ingredients

• 8 mid-sized zucchini or other squash, including summer squash, pattypans, cousa squash, etc.
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 lb sausage or ground beef
• dried sage
• fresh parsley
• ground nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs*
• Parmesan, cheddar, goat cheese, or any other cheese you like

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil the squash in a large pot for 5-10 minutes.  They should give when squeezed, but not be mushy.
3. While the squash is cooking, begin the filling: Dice the onion and garlic and saute them in the butter.  When the onion begins to become translucent, add the sausage or beef.
4. Allow the squash to cool enough to work with, then slice in half lengthwise (or for circular squash, around the equator, so you can lift the top from the bottom) and scoop the seeds and some of the "meat" out to create canoes or bowls. 
5. Chop up the insides of the squash and add them to the pan with the meat and onions.  Season to taste with fresh chopped parsley, dried sage, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Continue to cook over low heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, the let the mixture cool.
6. Mix the egg into the cooled filling, then spoon the mixture into the zucchini boats.  Top with bread crumbs and shredded/crumbled cheese, and bake for 30 minutes, until the squash is heated through and the cheese has melted and formed a crust on top.  Serve hot.

*Try making your own bread.  Homemade breads make some of the best bread crumbs.  All you have to do is whiz them through your food processor.