Stuffed Round Zucchinis with Red Rice and Vegetables -- Courgettes rondes farcies au riz rouge et aux légumes

August 23, 2006

Last week, Helen from Beyond Salmon -- everything you need to know about fish, she knows -- and her husband came over for dinner. The simple scenario of two couples sharing a meal could simply mean a common evening, nothing that will be matter for discussion. Such evening however turned into an interesting mix because of the following: while Helen and I obviously have the food connection -- and much to talk about --, P. and J. have the technology connection: Linux, Java, Database, architecture, blah blah blah. Now, one thing that needs to be said is that both of P. and J. are lucky to have wives that understand and speak their jargon -- I am myself a former technology worker, happily former indeed -- but of course, the fact that both of them could freely talk about code with the same passion as Helen and I talk about food helped in giving a perfectly balanced evening for the four of us. No yawns to be heard of. Helen and I would totally forget that they were there at times, and so did they. No guilty feeling. We were all happy. It were as if there had been two distinct streams of intense conversation that would converge once in a while. We ate well, drank plenty, and talked, talked and talked about what we each liked. While Helen and I were discussing what restaurants they had gone to while in the Seattle/Vancouver area -- since we head there ourselves, of course, I was eager to hear more -- what she cooked while they were there or what she thought about the local markets, at some point the question of where to find round zucchinis came in the conversation. Just like that. Pouf ! I hate to acknowledge it but I can be pretty obsessive when it has to me-wanting-to-find-something. I search until I find an answer. P. calls this nagging but I keep telling him that I do not understand this word. Je ne comprends pas l'anglais ! Back to the zucchinis. Helen: Ah, you are looking for round zucchinis? But I saw them on Thursday at the farmer's market in Belmont. Me: Where? Really? If only I had known! Cool! No need to add more. I knew already what I was going to do the following week. I was already thinking about the long wait until Thursday. So Thursday came and I made my way to the farmers' market, hoping that they would still have some of those round zucchinis Helen had mentioned. Approaching the few stands around, I could barely contain my excitement and rushed my pace to get closer to have a look at every possible green vegetable, trying to locate my round zucchinis. It took me probably less than thirty seconds after I arrived at the market to find them. I tried to be casual about it, but pretty much bought every single round zucchini from the farmer where I found them. I was just TOO happy to finally be in their possession. In my hands.

Back home, I inspected quickly what I had handy and a recipe was born. It would be mostly vegetarian, with une farce (stuffing) made of red rice, herbs and vegetables. Red Rice -- le riz rouge Have you heard about red rice before? And tasted it? If not, there is something for you to do. A pure jewel, just like black rice. I decided to use Buthanese Red Rice which I am reading was grown at 8,000 feet in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Impossible de résister ! It is clearly impossible to resist its nutty taste and beautiful russet color. This red rice is a heirloom rice which is the perfect accompaniment to fish, meat and vegetables. As such, it worked perfectly in my zucchini stuffing. I added a touch of cumin and coriander and since I had plenty of fresh basil and tarragon in the garden, there they went as well. Sometimes recipes take time to be shaped and designed, sometimes they are fast to happen. "When there is a will, there is a way". Quand on veut, on peut !

Stuffed Round Zucchinis with Red Rice and Vegetables

You need:

4 round green zucchinis
2 slices of prosciutto
3/4 cup red rice
1 Tbsp basil, chopped
1 Tbsp tarragon, chopped
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1 oz grated parmesan
1 carrot
3 orange tomatoes, skinned and cored.
Chicken broth or water (1/2 inch in the oven dish)

Steps:

Cook your rice according to the instructions on the package.
Preheat your oven at 350 F.
Wash your zucchinis and slice the top.
Remove the flesh inside and dice it roughly. Keep it on the side.
Bring water to a boil in a pot and put the tomatoes in it for 30 s. Rinse them under cold water and peel them. Remove the seeds and dice roughly.
Peel the carrot and cut it in julienne.
Chop the onion and garlic.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a thick-bottomed pot or a sautée pan. When hot, add the garlic and onion, and 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp cumin powder. Stir and cook for 5 mns, until softer but not brown.
Add the zucchini and stir. Cook for 3 mns or so before adding the carrot. Repeat and cook for 3 mns before adding the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 mns, without covering.
Remove from the heat and add the diced prosciutto, parmesan and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the rice and mix together (you might not need all the rice, and you will have stuffing leftover, which is lovely on its own).
Season the whole zucchinis with salt and pepper and stuff them with the preparation.
Place in an oven dish with broth at the bottom, about half an inch. Add a splash of olive oil on the zucchinis. Cook for about 1 hour.

Le coin français

Courgettes rondes farcies au riz rouge et aux légumes

Ingrédients :

4 courgettes rondes
2 tranches de prosciutto
125 g de riz rouge
1 càs de basilic, haché
1 càs d'estragon, haché
1 càs de persil, haché
1 càc de cumin en poudre
1 càc de coriandre en poudre
Huile d'olive
Sel et poivre
1/2 oignon jaune
3 gousses d'ail
30 g de parmesan râpé
1 carotte
3 tomates orange tomatoes, pelées
Bouillon de volaille ou eau (1 cm dans un plat allant au four)

Étapes :

Cuisez le riz en suivant les instructions sur votre paquet.
Préchauffez votre four à 180 C.
Lavez vos courgettes et coupez un chapeau dans chacune.
Retirez la chair des courgettes à l'aide d'une cuiller et hachez-la grossièrement. Gardez-la de côté.
Ébouillantez vos tomates pendant 30s. Passez-les sous l'eau froide et pelez-les. Épepinnez-les et hachez-les grossièrement.
Pelez la carotte et coupez-la en julienne.
Emincez l'oignon finement.
Faites chauffer 2 càs d'huile d'olive dans une cocotte à fond epais (ou une sauteuse). Une fois chaude, ajoutez l'oignon, l'ail, 1/2 càc de coriandre en poudre et 1/2 càc de cumin en poudre. Faites revenir sans dorer pendant 5 mns.
Ajoutez la chair de courgette et mélangez. Cuisez pendant 3 mns avant d'ajouter la carotte. Mélangez et cuisez pendant 3 mns avant d'ajouter les tomates. Faites cuire à feu doux pendant 5 mns, sans couvrir.
Retirez du feu et ajoutez les tranches de prosciutto coupées en petits dés, le parmesan et les herbes hachées. Assaisonnez avec du sel et du poivre.
Ajoutez le riz et mélangez à nouveau (vous n'aurez peut-être pas besoin de tout le riz, et il vous restera aussi de la farce, délicieuse seule ).
Salez et poivrez les courgettes et remplissez-les de farce.
Placez les courgettes dans un plat allant au four. Versez le bouillon (1 cm) dans le plat, et arrosez les courgettes d'un filet d'huile d'olive. Cuisez au four pendant environ 1 heure.

31 Comments

Choupette · August 23, 2006
Avec le riz rouge voilà qui change agréablement le farce des courgettes!
Gracianne · August 23, 2006
J'aime! En plus, si on enleve le prosciutto, ca fait un super plat vegetarien.
Kat · August 23, 2006
these look great!
Pete · August 23, 2006
Go Belmont! Gotta love the new Farmer's Market. It's such a great addition to town. Have you checked out Sergi Farm in Belmont yet? It's another great local treasure...
lilizen · August 23, 2006
que c'est trognon tout ça !
Alanna · August 23, 2006
What fun! I love these little stuffed guys!
Framboise · August 23, 2006
J'aime les farcis au riz, un point c'est tout ! Là avec ces petites rondes et le riz rouge je n'en peux plus d'envie, vivement le marché de samedi !
Jeff · August 23, 2006
Those look way cute!! I don't know how I'd resist the urge to play with them before cooking lol
Helen · August 23, 2006
Those are adorable! So glad you found them :)
Ellie · August 23, 2006
When the round zucchinis are the perfect specimens that you've so lovingly cooked and photographed, no wonder you bought them all up!
helene · August 23, 2006
Tes photos sont vraiment superbes, et toutes ces herbes aromatiques et épices doivent réveiller un palais endormi.
Ivonne · August 23, 2006
I think it's wonderful that you get to spend time with Helen. She seems like and incredible cook and you're right ... she does know everything about fish! I just love these little round zucchini. Today over lunch I am going to a farmer's market that happens ever Wednesday at Toronto's Old City Hall. If I see these I will buy them! Baci!
sylvieaa · August 23, 2006
J'avais envie de courgette farcie ce soir et voilà que tu m'apportes une belle recette, merci. C'est magnifique et trés appétissant.
Nicole · August 23, 2006
These look wonderful! What a coincindence, I opened a package of red rice to use tonight for the first time. I purchased it at an international foods store here because I loved the color but I really didn't know what to do with it. I decided to cook it tonight but when I put it in the pot with the water, it was filled with little bugs!! There were so many that I just threw the red rice out and settled for some California brown rice :-(
Connie · August 23, 2006
Beautiful! My roommate last year came back from semester abroad in Thailand and she has instilled in me a love of red rice. You use it so well with the zucchinis... those round ones are cute and I'm seeing them in all the local farmers markets. lovely
keiko · August 23, 2006
Bea, these zucchinis are such cuties :) lovely recipe too!
Krithika · August 23, 2006
Lovely pics and a great idea !!
Dianka · August 23, 2006
Oh wow, these are gorgeous! I've never seen round zucchini's! I just posted about zucchini flowers, which are divine as well. I'll have to look for these next time!
Julie · August 23, 2006
I completely understand the level of obsessiveness when it comes to tracking down an ingredient! I have never seen a round zucchini anywhere. I love zucchini in all their forms, so I wonder if I'll ever get to stuff one myself. Truly an adorable dish.
Alhya · August 23, 2006
je rentre juste d'une virée dans un marché fermier avec une bloggeuse formidable, où nous nous sommes extasiées de concert devant de magnifiques légumes, alors comme je comprends ton excitation devant ces belles courgettes rondes!
Fabienne · August 23, 2006
Share a dinner is a good idea... And what dinner ! It's so beautiful ...
Tanna · August 23, 2006
I love these - they are really beautiful.
Natalia · August 24, 2006
Those zucchinis are adorable! I've never seen round ones like that before, just the long skinny kind. Stuffing is perfect for these, I'd feel bad cutting them up.
sher · August 24, 2006
I cook black rice quite often, but I've never had red rice. Your little round squash are adorable--and the pictures are beautiful.
Ingrid · August 24, 2006
Magnifique Béa ! Et ta recette tombe vraiment à pic : ma mère est folle des petits farcis, je lui transmettrai la recette afin qu'elle puisse renouveler son petit péché mignon !
Mitsuko · August 24, 2006
Très joli! Nous aussi, on est un couple informaticien - fan de cuisine: c'est pratique d'avoir des "doubles" dans son cercle d'amis...
Béa · August 24, 2006
Merci Choupette,
Gracianne, oui tu as raison. C'est une bonne alternative.
Thanks Kat.
Pete, yes indeed. And today Thursday is the day again! I will definitely check this other farm you mention!
Lilizen, merci !
Alanna, small like this is indeed s much more fun.
Framboise, ah oui, je suis curieuse de savoir ce que tu trouves dans ton marche !
Jeff, you cannot eat them raw, promise! ;-)
Helen, yes, thanks to you!
Ellie, ahha, I guess so!
Helene, merci a toi. C'est toujours chouette d'essayer de nouveaux melanges d'epices et d'herbes.
Ivonne, yes it is a lot of fun indeed. I hope you can find them!
Sylvie, j'espere que tu vas aimer !
Nicole, oh no, what a bummer! I hope you can still try it in the future.
Connie, cannot wait to get some more. Always nice to have friends bring food items from their countries, isn't it?
Keiko, thank you! ;-)
Krithika, thanks a lot.
Dianka, try them, I am sure you will enjoy them. Pretty sure you can find them in LA.
Julie, I think that once you start stuffing vegetables, you become addicted to it!
Alhya, ah c'est chouette cela. Tu as du passer une superbe journee. Les meilleurs moments que de se promener au milieu des bonnes choses de la terre, pas vrai ?
Fabienne, yes, indeed!
Tanna, thanks a lot.
Natalia, ahhah, you are not hurting them. You would not be disappointed.
Sher, red rice is as nice as black rice. Very tasteful just on its own. I think you would like it.
Ingrid, ah ben effectivement ! Tant mieux.
Mitsuko, oui tout a fait. Et on a tous un point commun. On aime tous la bonne bouffe ;-)
jacqueline k. · August 24, 2006
Très jolie recette et superbe photo, la courgette a l'air vraie ! (je plaisante, oeuf corse)
wsamrazik · August 22, 2010
Hi Bea, I was hoping you might help me with something that happened to me for the first time. My stuffed small round zucchinis are bitter (just the skin, because the stuffing is great). What do you think happened? Are they getting older? Is it because I waited a couple of days before cooking them? I am totally perplexed, but still eat the insides ;=) Perhaps you might solve this mystery. Thanks!
wsamrazik · August 23, 2010
Bea, Thanks for your prompt response.. the zucchinis were small, bought at the farmers' market....perhaps baking them at the temperature too high is to blame?!
Béa · August 23, 2010
Hi wsamrazik, Not sure what could have happened. It never happened to me. How big were the zucchini? The only thing that I am thinking of is that they could have been too big or too old?