Gad Zuccs!

Remember when I told you how my garden pops out Zucchinis like it's its job? Well, it is it's job, and the this year my Zuccs are poppin!
When I got home from Guatemala last Tuesday I already had two on the counter, and since then I've picked 3 more and still have 3 outside. In the past I've dealt with this by making salads or zucchini breads or what have you, but this year a new idea stuffed itself into my mind....
STUFFED ZUCCHINI!!!!!!







(Before)

They came out awesome and aren't nearly as hard to make as it might sound. Basically just scoop out a zucchini, fill it, and bake... it even gives you that nice 20 - 30 minute baking period to get in a glass of wine. Or two...
I served this with a Brandied-Parsnip Tarragon Couscous, who's subtle flavors commented the herbiness of the Zuccs brilliantly. So, with that, get STUFFING, but first the zuccs and then your belly!
Stuffed Zucchini
- 2 large zucchini, scooped out
- 2 vine tomatoes, diced
- 1 small vidalia onion, diced
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 1/4 c white wine
- Dried Oregano and Dried Basil
- Fresh Basil, Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Oregano, Fresh Thyme
- 1 lb ground turkey
- Salt, Pepper, Ground Thyme
Preheat oven to 425. Slice the top off the zucchinis lengthwise, and scoop them out, leaving about a 1/4 inch of flesh. You can save the insides for something like Zucchini Bread or Ratatouille, but you won't need it here. Put the Zuccs in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and put them in the oven to soften for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
In a frying pan, break up ground turkey, season with salt, pepper and ground thyme and cook until just barely pink, then drain and set aside.
In another pan, sautee onions until translucent, then add thin-sliced garlic and then minced jalapeno. When pepper is soft, pour in the wine and add the dried spices and then the tomatoes. Lastly, add the fresh herbs, mix and then add the turkey and mix again. All of the wine should be absorbed.
Remove Zucchinis from oven, fill each of them with the turkey mix and top with plenty of Parmesan or Romano cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the Zuccs feel fork-tender and give them a couple of minutes under the broiler so they get crusty before you take them out.
Serve them with Brandied-Parsnip Tarragon Couscous and enjoy!

Brandied Fennel-Tarragon Couscous
- 1/2 bulb fennel, minced
- 2 tbsp shallots, minced
- 1 tbsp tarragon
- Onion Powder
- 1 c dry Couscous
- 1 c vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
In a pan, saute fennel until brown, then add brandy and then shallots and cook until liquid is absorbed. Bring vegetable broth and bay leaf to a boil, then stir in couscous and fennel/shallot mixture, season with onion powder and tarragon, stir and remove from heat. Let sit five minutes and fluff with fork before serving.