As a first course, one half zucchini is sufficient, and for a lunch or light supper I serve two together with bread, wine, and dessert.
Serves 4 or 8
Ingredients
4 zucchini, 6 to 8 inches long, peeled if necessary (see note below)
¼ pound ham (boiled, baked, or smoked), finely chopped
¼ teaspoon fresh or dried thyme leaves
5 sprigs parsley, chopped
Duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms and shallots – see the recipe below)
Mornay Sauce (cheese sauce – see the recipe below)
2 tablespoons milk
Butter, for baking dish
2 ounces Swiss-style cheese, such as Gruyère or Emmentaler, grated (about ? cup)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 475°F with the rack in the upper third of the oven. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.
3. Place the zucchini halves in the boiling water and blanch until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on freshness. Drain on paper towels.
4. Stir the ham, thyme, and parsley into the duxelles. If the Mornay sauce was made ahead of time, reheat it. Thin the sauce with the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk well. Stir 5 to 6 tablespoons of the hot sauce into the stuffing.
5. Butter a baking dish or ovenproof platter that will hold all the zucchini. Fill each zucchini half with stuffing and place in the baking dish. Spoon the sauce over the stuffed zucchini and sprinkle with the grated cheese. (The dish can be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.)
6. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Note: Zucchini skin is sweet when it is very fresh, but can turn bitter when it’s older. While trimming the stem, I cut off and taste a piece of the skin. If it’s bitter, I peel the zucchini. If it’s sweet, I just wash it. Peeled zucchini is fragile when cooked, and care should be taken in handling it.
In Addition: There are many possible fillings for a stuffed zucchini. Cooked chicken, lamb, or ground beef can replace the ham in this recipe. Cooked rice or bread crumbs can be added when unexpected guests appear. Or use a fresh Tomato Sauce with or in place of the cheese sauce.
Duxelles Recipe
Duxelles is one of the foundations of French cooking. It is used by itself, or mixed with chopped meats and herbs to form stuffings. To chop the mushrooms by hand is time-consuming and tedious, but a food processor will do the work in seconds.
Makes 1 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons butter
5 shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped
1 pound white mushrooms, washed, dried, and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots or onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to high, and sauté until most of the water has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Mornay Sauce Recipe
A Mornay is a cheese-flavored béchamel that can be used with poached eggs, crêpes, vegetables, and meat. In France, the cheese used for the sauce is usually Gruyère, or a combination of Gruyère and Parmesan. Any Swiss-style cheese can be used; if you use other than a Swiss-style cheese, such as Camembert, the sauce takes on the name of the cheese. Classically, a Mornay is made with an addition of 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter just before serving. I find this added richness unnecessary and have eliminated it with today’s eating habits in mind. When browning the sauce as in
a gratin, I always sprinkle additional cheese on top.
Makes 2 cups to serve 8
2½ tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 ounces Swiss-style cheese, such as Gruyère or Emmentaler, grated (about ? cup) or 1 ounce each Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, grated
1. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the roux is pale yellow and frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the milk and stir well with a whisk until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes. (This is a béchamel sauce.)
2. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk vigorously for about 10 seconds. Simmer gently, whisking the sauce well from time to time, until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream, 2 to 3 minutes. Skim off any butter that may rise to the surface.
3. Stir in the cheese and bring to a boil while whisking. At this point the sauce should be slightly thicker than heavy cream and is ready to use. (The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for several days or frozen for later use. Cover the surface with plastic wrap. To reheat, bring to a boil and check the consistency and seasoning before using. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little milk or water.)
This is my Easy Recipes For You!
Enjoy! (:
