Ingredients:
8 medium zucchini
1 cup chicken stick
1 pound ground turkey, chicken, beef or Italian sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped small dice
1 cup mushrooms, quartered ( optional)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced fine
3 cups pasta sauce
1 Tablespoon oregano, minced fine
1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram, minced fine
1/2 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced fine
¼ teaspoon Himalayan or Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1/2 -1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ancho Chili
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons Italian style panko bread crumbs
1/4 bunch of flat leaf Italian parsley for garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Measure out 1 cup of the pasta sauce and set aside.
Set aside a 13×9 glass baking dish
Trim ends from zucchini and slice in half, lengthwise. With the tip of your knife score crosshatches on the inside of the zucchini flesh. Use the tip of a small spoon to scrape out the flesh. Chop the zucchini flesh into medium dice and set aside.
Place the scooped out zucchini boats into a 13″ x 9″ baking dish and add about one cup of chicken or vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until just slightly fork-tender. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool slightly.
While the boats are baking, add olive oil to a large high sided skillet and place over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender and browning about 4-5 minutes. Add onions, and sauté until translucent an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add the fresh garlic, cook for an additional 1 minute.
Add the meat and begin constantly stirring to break up the ground meat as it cooks. Continue to cook and stir until meat is thoroughly cooked and veggies have softened. Drain off as much oil if any and return the pan to the heat.
Add the chopped zucchini flesh, 2 cups of the pasta sauce, parsley, fresh herbs, salt, fresh ground black pepper, crushed red pepper and remaining spices. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and allow to simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
While sauce is simmering remove partially cooked zucchini from baking dish and pour off any liquid remaining.
Pour the 1 cup of reserved pasta sauce into the empty baking dish and place zucchini boats on top of the sauce.
Divide the warm filling between the zucchini boats. If you have extra filling, spoon it into the dish around the zucchini boats. Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes, or until zucchini is fork tender.
Remove from oven . Remove the foil and set the oven to broil.
Sprinkle the zucchini boats with Mozzarella, Parmesan and the Panko bread crumbs. Place dish back in the oven, watching closely, and cook for just a couple of minutes until cheese has melted and bread crumbs are golden brown.
Top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot.
Variations:
Add 1/2 cup cooked black forbidden rice
Add Quinoa
Add red or green bell peppers.
Add mini tomatoes
Use left over cooked chicken
Top with fresh pesto or rough chopped basil
Chef Gigi Gaggero 