Greek Stuffed Vegetables
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They're almost too pretty to eat - whole vegetables stuffed wth a rice-lamb mixture that includes tomato, garlic, onion and mint. Baked with oil until they are just tender, these stuffed vegetables can be eaten hot or, in the Greek style, lukewarm.
INGREDIENTS
4 medium tomatoes, about 1-1/2 pounds
4 medium green peppers, about 1-1/2 pounds
Salt
Boiling water
4 medium zucchini, about 1-1/2 poundsFILLING
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-1/2 pounds lean lamb or beef
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 cups cooked white riceVegetable oil
Wash tomatoes and green peppers well; dry on paper towels. Remove 1-inch-thick slice from stem end of each tomato and green pepper; reserve for use later. With spoon, scoop out soft centers of tomatoes, leaving a shell; chop tomato pulp coarsely; set aside.
Sprinkle inside of each tomato with salt. Remove and discard seeds and ribs from peppers. In a large saucepan, pour boiling water over peppers to cover. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain.
Remove a 1/2-inch-thick slice lengthwise from side of each zucchini; reserve to use as a cover. With spoon, scoop out and discard centers, leaving a shell 1/2-inch thick. Parboil zucchini and reserved slices as you did the peppers. Drain and set aside.
MAKE FILLING - In hot butter in large skillet, sauté onion, garlic and lamb; stirring frequently, until lamb is brown. Add chopped tomato, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, tomato sauce, mint and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add rice to vegetable mixture; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon meat-and-vegetable filling into vegetable shells, dividing evenly; cover with reserved top slices. Arrange zucchini and peppers in a shallow baking dish; brush lightly with oil.
Pour 1/4 cup boiling water around vegetables; cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Arrange tomatoes in shallow baking dish; brush lightly with oil; cover dish with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven; arrange on serving platter.
Makes 8 to 10 servings