Zucchini filled with Feta and roasted tomatoes, with roasted corn vinaigrette

stuffed zucchini over salad with roasted corn vinaigrette

mise en place

Recipe: 

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini

1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds

7 Tbs olive oil

1 cup tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

onions, 1 cup minced

garlic, 2 tsp minced

red pepper, 1/2 cup chopped

serrano chile, 1/2 tsp seeded and minced ( or a pinch of red pepper flakes)

parsley, 1/4 cup chopped

mint, 2 Tbs chopped

feta or goat cheese, 1 cup crumbled

pine nuts, 1/4 cup toasted

method:

Preheat oven to 400 deg

Halve the zucchini lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving 1/4 inch thick shell.  Chop and reserve the flesh:

zucchini boats

Lightly brush both sides of the eggplant rounds with 3 Tbs of the olive oil.  In a bowl, lightly toss the tomatoes with 1 Tbs of the olive oil.  Place the tomatoes and eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 10 minutes or  until the eggplant is lightly browned and softened.  Roughly chop both tomatoes and eggplant and set aside:

tomatoes and eggplant ready to roast

In a sauté pan heat the remaining 3 Tbs. of olive oil  Add the onions, garlic, and pepper and sauce until soft but not brown.  Add the reserved zucchini flesh and cook 1 minute, stirring.  Combine the eggplant mixture.  Stir in the serrano chili, parsley, mint, feta and pine nuts.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

all stuffing ingredients ready to board the boats

Divide the filling among the zucchini boats, mounding it slightly.  Place in an oiled ovenproof baking dish.  Broil the filled zucchini until the filling is bubbling and lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes:

stuffed but uncooked

To serve arrange  greens on a plate.  Spoon the roasted corn vinaigrette over the greens and around the plate and place filled zucchini on top. 

I made this dish after work one evening but it made for a late dinner.  Allow a little time for this.  It's worth it.

Grab a glass of wine and enjoy!

This recipe is taken from From the Earth to the Table, by John Ash