A Quest for Eight Ball Zucchinis — A la recherche de courgettes rondes
You can call me weird, étrange, after you hear this short story if you wish, and I will not find this strange. I will not even lift an eyebrow. In fact, I will probably agree with you.
In the summer, I am obsessed with Eight Ball Zucchinis. I do not grow them — I suppose I would need a vegetable garden first — but I go around town desperately looking for them. Except that this year was a good one as I had mostly nothing to do. The zucchinis were there, waiting for me.
Eight Ball Zucchinis are unpretentious vegetables that most people do not consider buying because they do not necessarily know what to do with them. I used to call them round zucchinis for lack of knowing better, even if people looked at me with a what-do-you-mean kind of look. What is the official name anyway?
“What is it again that you are looking for?”
“Round zucchinis, you know, small and green” I repeated stubbornly.
If only they had known how extremely happy finding these greens made me. Just as much as, I swear, receiving a bouquet of freshly cut flowers. And this summer, because I have been able to buy these zucchinis easily, imagine how happy I have been. It is just that I have understood the trick: I simply know where and when to go to buy them.
I have become one of these people who get to the farmer’s market early — when they open — to make sure that I will be able to buy my round zucchinis before anyone else. And this is why.
Last week, when I arrived at my usual vegetable stand and asked my bossy smiling vegetable lady whether she had any round zucchinis, she shouted back: “Not any more! A man bought them all only a few min after we opened.” He did what? How could he have had the guts to do such a thing? Didn’t he know about my dinner plan? I was so disappointed that I paused for a few seconds before asking for the second time: “Are you sure?” I felt glad that I did not know who the greedy guy was because I might have had to steal his vegetable bag had I seen him around.
This being said, I have learned my lesson and have become smarter. Now I call the farm ahead of time, to make sure that some round zucchinis are put on the side pour moi. Hence, I have neither train to catch nor battle to fight with “the greedy man who bought every single round zucchini at the market“. Instead, I can relax and think about what I am going to do with them.
So what do I do with them, you may ask?
Well, I stuff, stuff and I stuff again. I am quite obsessed with stuffing vegetables of all sorts. Preparing vegetables this way makes them visually festive. If, like me, you think that small means cute, then you are bound to love the looks of them as much as I do. And, even if it looks complicated, you have to take my word that it is not at all. I always imagine all sorts of food associations: I have made stuffed vegetables with quinoa and rice — red, white or black — couscous, faro, ricotta, veal, beef, and many vegetables, to only name a few. Imagine mixing a leftover of cooked rice with spinach and some tasty cheese and fragrant herbs. Some cooks like to precook the vegetables before stuffing them, but I rarely do. I prefer to cook them for a longer time in the oven at a lower temperature. P. even prefers the dish the second day.
To us, stuffed vegetables are comfort food at its best. I swear, they really have this je-ne-sais-quoi that makes me happy.
And I know well that I am not alone to be that weird. You too must have an obsession with a vegetable, don’t you?
You need:
- 8 small round zucchinis
- 1 pound ground veal
- 2 slices of prosciutto, diced
- 1 3/4 oz manchego cheese, grated
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4.5 oz watercress (or spinach), chopped
- 4.5 oz celery root, grated
- 1 celery branch, diced
- 10 sage leaves, thinly chopped
- 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp crème fraîche
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsp olive oil + some to drizzle on top of the zucchinis
- Salt and pepper
Steps:
- Cut a top off the zucchinis (make a zigzag pattern if you like with a small knife, as I did) and keep them on the side.
- Scoop the flesh out of the zucchinis with a sharp spoon — use a grapefruit one, or a melon baller — and season the inside with salt and pepper. Keep them on the side.
- Preheat your oven at 350 F.
- Prepare all other vegetables.
- Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 min, until fragrant.
- Add the celery branch and continue to cook for 2 min.
- Add the grated celery and continue to cook for 3 min.
- Add the green vegetable and cook until it gives its water out.
- Then add the prosciutto and meat. Add the herbs and cook for 10 min, uncovered on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the meat, cheese and 1 Tbsp crème fraîche. Mix well.
- Stuff the zucchinis with this preparation, and place a top on each.
- Place the vegetables in a baking dish, with a little water at the bottom.
- Drizzle some olive oil on top.
- Cook for 1 hour.
- Serve with plain Jasmine rice or potatoes, and a mixed green salad.
Ingrédients :
- 8 petites courgettes rondes
- 450g de veau haché
- 2 tranches de prosciutto, coupées en dés
- 50 g de fromage manchego, râpé
- 1 échalote, hachée
- 2 gousses d’ail, écrasées et hachées finement
- 125 g de cresson (ou épinard frais), haché
- 125 g de céleri rave, râpé
- 1 branche de céleri, coupée en dés
- 10 feuilles de sauge, ciselées
- 2 càs de persil haché
- 1 càs crème fraîche
- 2 oeufs, battus
- 2 càs d’huile d’olive + pour arroser les courgettes
- Sel et poivre
Étapes :
- Coupez un chapeau dans les courgettes (coupez-les en zigzag si vous le souhaitez avec un petit couteau pointu, comme je l’ai fait ici). Évidez les courgettes et assaisonnez l’intérieur de sel et poivre. Gardez les courgettes et les chapeaux de côté.
- Préchauffez votre four à 180 C.
- Préparez vos légumes.
- Faites chauffer 2 càs d’huile d’olive dans une sauteuse ou une poêle à revêtement anti-adhésif. Ajoutez l’échalote et l’ail, et faites suer pendant 1 min.
- Ajoutez les dés de céleri branche et poursuivez la cuisson 2 min.
- Ajoutez le céleri rapé et poursuivez la cuisson pendant 3 min en remuant de temps à autre.
- Ajoutez ensuite le légume vert et cuisez jusqu’à ce qu’il rende son eau et devienne tendre.
- Ajoutez alors les dés de prosciutto et le veau haché. Remuez et ajoutez les herbes, cuisson pendant 10 min à découvert sur feu moyen. Asaissonnez de sel et de poivre.
- Battez les oeufs dans un bol. Ajoutez la viande, le fromage et 1 càs de crème fraîche. Mélangez bien.
- Farcissez les courgettes avec cette préparation. Placez un chapeau sur chacune d’elle.
- Placez les légumes dans un plat à gratin, avec un peu d’eau au fond.
- Arrosez d’un filet d’huile d’olive.
- Enfournez pendant 1 heure.
- Servez avec un riz parfumé ou des pommes de terre et une salade verte.
Technorati Tags: Food Styling, La Tartine Gourmande, Food Photography, Eight Ball Zucchini, Gluten Free, veal, Stuffed Vegetable
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J’adore les légumes farcis, et les tiens semblent particulièrement réussis, j’en ai l’eau à la bouche …
Comment by Fabienne — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Mmmmm - how fabulous. As always, I am blown away by your photography!
We (or more accurately my husband) have been growing vegetables in our back garden for the third year in a row. Each year we expand what we grow and for the first time we are growing our own courgettes. Although the taste is so similar we decided, if we were going to grow our own, that it would be much more fun to choose a variety that we could not find readily in the supermarket. So we chose a variety that produces beautiful, lemon-yellow, spherical courgettes. We shared the first one simply sliced and steamed and could not believe how sweet and delicious the flavour. We have some more ready soon and I am keen to try and create some stuffed with a meat filling - I will have to experiment as I am not keen on celery or quinoa. I’ll use your recipes as a motivation/ starting point!
Thank you!
PS the photos of the coconut panna cotta blow me away. I’ve returned to your blog several times since you posted that article JUST to look at the images.
Comment by Kavey — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Those zucchinis look so adorable. Like they have little hats or something. Love the way you carved them too!
Comment by veron — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 4:05 pm
such cute pointy “hats’!
Comment by Steamy Kitchen — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 4:47 pm
They all look wonderful. I was going to stuff my tomatoes tonight and this puts a stamp on it!
Comment by Maryann — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
wow! I can’t believe you stuffed all those different veggies, brilliant!
Comment by Kat — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 6:14 pm
I share your obsession! I love this little things and they are so hard to find. Also, there are tiny round cucmbers that I cannot find here. We used to hollow them out and fill them with herbs and cheese. I did manage to find some seeds and will be growing the round cucumbers next year, perhaps I should grow round squash also!
Comment by Mercedes — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 6:28 pm
a.k.a. Roly Poly, Cue Ball, Geode, Tonda de Nizza, so I’m not sure eight-ball is the official name. At Brooklyn’s Park Slope Food Co-op, the nec plus ultra of cultfood in New York, it’s a Roly Poly.
Comment by Ben — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Those are so much better than stuffed tomatoes….and how dare that man take you rounded veggies.
Comment by peabody — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Irresistibly cute! I love these little zucchini too, but rarely find them at the farmstand. Now I know why — you have gotten there before me!
Comment by Lydia — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 7:36 pm
So lovely. I have these in my garden. I also fell in love with them last year when I grew them for the first time. Recently I stuffed some with quinoa, ground beef, tomatoes, and basil with a bit of parmesan. Very tasty, but I did not like the photos, so now I am trying it again!
Comment by Kalyn — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Oh my goodness, I LOVE how you stuffed random vegetables like an onion and a red potato. I’ve never thought of doing that. Brilliant and beautiful!
Comment by ashley — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Ils sont si jolis ces légumes farcis!
Je n’ai jamais vu (ou remarqué) ces zucchinis ronds, j’ouvrirai l’oeil au Farmer’s Market cette semaine…
Je suis aussi allée lire (et admirer surtout) toutes les recettes que tu proposes dans ce billet, maintenant je ne sais plus par laquelle commencer
Comment by Karine / Carrefour — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Sooooo cute. They remind me of little creatures in Play With Your Food.
Comment by Charlotte — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 10:07 pm
I know what you mean by obsession Bea. Especially with “eight ball zucchinis” (I have learned something today)
I made the same recipe but with different stuffing a few weeks ago but had yet to blog about them.
Comment by Rose — On August, 23rd, 2007 at 10:16 pm
j’adore les petites courgettes rondes et les petits farcis en règle général. Les tiens sont superbes
Comment by marie — On August, 24th, 2007 at 1:25 am
how wonderful. i have just very very recently stuffed some round zucchinis myself and posted on them. (i didn’t know they were called 8 ball zucchini … now i know). i think here we are lucky as you can find them quite easily at the market/ super market.
also love the idea of all kind of petits legumes farcis. that i still have to try.
Comment by andreea — On August, 24th, 2007 at 3:03 am
[...] wonderful legumes farcis and an eight ball courgette coincidence at La Tartine [...]
Pingback by Oufff … Courgettes « Glorious Food and Wine — On August, 24th, 2007 at 3:10 am
i actually grew these 8 balls in my garden this year but because the weather has been so crappy, i’ve only gotten 3 so far. i suppose i should be happy that i got any. i have just started making farcis in general! perfect for our cold weather
(this weekend should be warm though. yay!!!) beautiful post, bea, as usual.
Comment by ptinfrance — On August, 24th, 2007 at 4:29 am
Moi aussi je ne peux résister devant ce si joli légume !
Comment by bergeou — On August, 24th, 2007 at 4:43 am
Ooh, they’re all so cute, but I particularly love the ones with the jaunty zig zagging which remind me of halloween pumpkins.
And the cheek of that man, stealing your zucchini!
Comment by Sophie — On August, 24th, 2007 at 6:27 am
aha~ so cute
so beautiful and lovely
Comment by YOYO's Food — On August, 24th, 2007 at 7:23 am
C’est drole, je n’ai jamais vraiment craque la-dessus. Par contre sur les autres legumes farcis, nottamment les oignons rouges comme tu fais, la oui!
Comment by Gracianne — On August, 24th, 2007 at 9:07 am
I have some little yellow squash that would be perfect for this!
Comment by brilynn — On August, 24th, 2007 at 10:35 am
These are insanely fun looking! How cute. Bea - I can’t get over your creativity!
Comment by Hillary — On August, 24th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Hooray! It is a festival of little veggie beasties.
Comment by Callipygia — On August, 24th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
The round ones would make a much prettier presentation. I have never seen or heard of one until now. Now watch…I will go to the farmer’s market today and they will be everywhere!!!!! That is always the way…it was the same with chipotles.
Comment by Vallih — On August, 25th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Un plat qui fait toujours plaisir et synonyme de soleil
Comment by Sophie — On August, 25th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Weird, no. Obsessed, yes. All of these are beautiful.
Comment by MyKitchhenInHalfCups — On August, 25th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Thank you all! Merci de vos commentaires !
Ben , you are my English walking dictionary, merci bien
Comment by Béa — On August, 25th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
You are a genius! A genius a genius! Thank you so much for the stories, the gorgeous pictures and the recipes and major inspiration!
Comment by i miss the morning dew, fresh air & sunday school (flickr) — On August, 25th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
When I lived in the U.S. I had a ‘Stuffed Vegetable’ party every fall. It was as much fun to cook as it was for everyone else to eat!
Comment by Katiez — On August, 26th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Oh my… those are simply adorable! You’ve inspired me so very much.
Comment by Alexandra — On August, 27th, 2007 at 1:51 am
Vos courgettes farcies sont vraiment géniales. Je n’ai jamais vu des courgettes rondes, ces belle « eight balls ». Peut-être j’arrive toujours trop tard au marché, hé ! (Autrefois, je me lèverais très tôt le matin pour les œufs).
Comment by joseph — On August, 27th, 2007 at 6:46 am
Love the photos! And I, too, love eight ball zucchini. There’s a guy at our farmers’ market who carries them all the time and I always have an urge to stuff them, but get overwhelmed by the possibilities . . . I have the same feeling when I walk into a used book store or a music shop, can’t make up my mind. So thank you for the suggestions!
PS — are those onions you stuffed in the shot of “Petits Legumes Farcis?”
Comment by swirlingnotions — On August, 28th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Thanks again.
Swirlingnotions, you are lucky! Yes these are stuffed onions
Comment by Béa — On August, 28th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Food Blog Roundup: Summer Food Porn…
We like pretty pictures and food blogs these days are stuffed with them. After years of sighing over the few photos in our expensive cookbooks, it’s wonderful to have so many talented photographer-cooks to inspire our shopping, eating and cooking…….
Trackback by Apartment Therapy Food — On August, 29th, 2007 at 11:21 am
In France, isnt it les courge rond?
Comment by pessy — On August, 30th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Oh my gosh, so CUTE!! I want to stuff something now!
Comment by Nan — On August, 30th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Hi, Bea,
I tried the recipe using red rice, after finding gorgeous zucchinis at the farmer’s market in Central Square. Loved it — I will definitely be serving these for company sometime soon (assuming I can still find them).
I went to Copenhagen last winter, so if you want any recommendations, let me know!
Dina
Comment by Dina — On September, 5th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
[...] I was reminded of Bea Peltre’s advice to par-cook dishes before photographing them to get the best image, and finish cooking later. I guess that’s how she gets her stuffed vegetables to look so amazing. [...]
Pingback by Eggplant Stuffed with Rice and Roquefort « My Vegetable Blog — On September, 6th, 2007 at 9:02 am