Beef and Bulgur-Stuffed Zucchini

By oldbklady

Ingredients

• 6 med zucchini (about 1/2 pound each)
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 sm chopped onion
• 1 tbs chopped garlic
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, strained and juice reserved (about 3/4-1 c. juice)
• 1 c. cooked bulgur (1/3 cup uncooked)
• 3 tbs raisins
• 3 tbs pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet over a med- high flame for 2 minutes
• 1/4 c. chopped parsley leaves
• 1/2 c. low-sodium tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut each zucchini in half crosswise. Using a melon baller, carefully scoop out zucchini flesh, leaving about ¼ inch flesh intact on all sides and leaving zucchini closed at the bottom of each half. Reserve zucchini flesh for another use, or discard. Reserve zucchini tubes.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion sand cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add ground beef, cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes and cook until meat is just done and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add bulgur, and diced tomatoes and currants and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and parsley. Let mixture cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using a small spoon or clean hands, gently stuff zucchini halves with beef-mixture.

Place zucchini halves in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Combine reserved tomato juice, tomato sauce and salt and pour over zucchini. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and rotate zucchini. Re-cover, return dish to oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until zucchini is cooked through but still slightly firm. Place 2 zucchini halves on a plate and serve with tomato sauce.