Stuffed Giant Home-garden Zucchini

 

 

Summer garden was a fun activity with moderate yield and immense satisfaction. One large zucchini about a foot long and 4 inches in diameter seemed like a prime candidate for stuffing and baking. I just used the bottom half for stuffing and saved the top half for enjoying another day.

Any filling - like rice or ground turkey or grilled fajita veggies, or a combination of all of these - will work. I went with grilled veggies and Mexican-flavors-inspired brown rice that was leftover. Top with melty cheese like Cheddar or Colby Jack or Provolone, or a combination of these, and finish off under the broiler for that mild charring that adds to the flavor.

Tempeh-Stuffed Bittergourd

Bitter gourd is another favorite of mine, which is an acquired taste for many, thanks to its -- er, bitterness.

Indian bitter gourd is about 5 inches long and deeply ridged with a darkish green skin. Chinese bitter melon is about 7 inches long, or even 8 inches, with thicker flesh and lighter color and milder flavor, still quite bitter, of course. I like both varieties, and each lends itself well to certain types of dishes, as in the many bitter gourd and bitter melon recipes shared here.

Tempeh, fermented soy beans, lends itself to many interesting additions. Here, it is sauteed with onions and spices and used as a stuffing for Indian bitter gourd.

Bitter gourd is gently slit and the seeds are carefully removed first, then par cooked in boiling salted water before stuffing and pan-cooking.

Ingredients
1 cup crumbled or diced tempeh
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

4 Indian bitter gourd
1 Tbsp tamarind paste (sold as Sour Soup base in Asian stores)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup vegetable broth
salt to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Heat some oil in a pan, add the tempeh and the spices with a splash of broth, cover and cook the filling
2. Meanwhile, slit, remove the seeds, and par cook the bitter gourd in boiling salted water till slightly tender; drain and pat dry
3. Stuff the slit par-cooked bitter gourd with the spiced tempeh mix
4. Stir the tamarind paste, remaining broth, and brown sugar and keep handy for basting
5. Heat some oil in a cast iron skillet, place the stuffed bitter gourd, add the basting liquid from the previous step, cover and cook till bitter gourd is softer and has absorbed the flavors from the liquid
6. Remove the lid and continue to cook if a crispy bottom is preferred

Bulgur & Tempeh Stuffed Acorn Squash

Among the squashes, the sweet and meaty winter squashes are my favorite. Not all winter squashes are alike, so, my preference is further refined by the varieties that I've had so far that have the texture and flavor that I consider 'meaty' and mildly sweet.

I am not a fan of spaghetti squash or other similar squashes with a pronounced stringy texture when baked/cooked. I like the chunky meaty texture of Butternut, Blue Hubbard, Sweet Meat, Kabocha, Red Kuri, Delicata, and Danish/Acorn.

Millet & Lentils Stuffed Golden Danish Squash is a favorite. But this time, I went with a mixture of bulgur and tempeh for the stuffing. To quick cook bulgur, I pour some boiled water over it and soak it while getting the veggies ready. To add a kick to it, I sprinkle some Tabasco™ sauce on the squash before stuffing and baking.

Ingredients
One medium acorn/Danish squash

½ cup crumbled tempeh
¼ cup bulgur

veggies:
½ cup chopped onions, tomatoes, chilies, garlic
¼ cup cooked corn
¼ cup cooked black beans
¼ cup diced red and green bell peppers

flavoring herbs:
fresh (or dried) oregano, basil, fennel leaves to taste

2 Tbsp olive oil for sauteing

topping: Feta and Parmesan as needed

flavoring spices:
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper powder
¼ tsp black pepper powder

Tabasco™ Sauce (optional)

Preparation

• Prep: Soak the bulgur in boiling hot water; pre-heat the oven to 400°F; Cut the squash in half, scoop out the pulp and seeds, and make a wide well for the stuffing; spritz some water and rub some salt on the inside of the squash halves and microwave for about 6 minutes on high power till par-cooked
• Stuffing: Sauté the onions, tomatoes, chilies, and garlic in some oil, with a pinch of salt; add the rest of the veggies, soaked bulgur, and tempeh once onions turn translucent, stir in the flavoring spices, cover and allow to cook till flavors meld
• Baking: Sprinkle some Tabasco sauce on the par-cooked squash halves, then fill them with the stuffing and bake in 400°F oven for about 30-45 minutes till squash is roasted to a fine golden brown, and the skin is lightly crispy
• Garnish: Top with feta and Parmesan, some spring onions, cilantro if available
• Serve warm with extra feta and Tabasco sauce on the side

Stuffed Sweet Red Peppers

Stuffed peppers happen frequently in my kitchen, even if only the adults in the family enjoy it.

Most of the time the stuffing is leftovers - typically rice and beans, or TVP, or millet or quinoa. When I found these colorful beauties at the farmers market, I knew they would come home to get roasted/stuffed.

Here's a variety of stuffed veggies showcased in a previous post.

This time I went with some leftover basmati rice sauteed with onions, tomatoes, Ethiopian berbere spice powder, stirred in with some dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.

Stuffed Baby Eggplant with Sweet-and-Sour Peanut Filling

It is no secret that I love eggplant, as evidenced by the wide array of Eggplant Recipes shared here. While I don't eat eggplant everyday, it does seem like I am rather partial to it. On and off I avoid nightshade family which include eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes to help the gut recover. Choosing ripe red peppers and ripe red tomatoes and and ripe purple eggplant seems to work so far.

Small Indian eggplant, when ripe, is just a little bigger than a large egg and perfect for slitting and stuffing to make spicy dishes. This time, the flavorful sweet-and-sour masala paste for stuffing is made with peanuts, tomatoes, dry red chilies, plus my favorite combo for sweet-and-sour: tamarind paste + grape molasses.

[Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with these brands, these are just the ones available where I shop]


Simply grind the masala paste, make cross-wise slit in the eggplants and slather the paste inside. Reserve some of the paste for the gravy, if preferred.

Ingredients
For the peanut masala paste:
½ cup dry roasted peanuts
4 to 5 dry red chilies
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp grape molasses
2 Tbsp tamarind paste
salt to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil or safflower oil
water as needed

Preparation

1. Masala Paste: Combine the peanut masala paste ingredients, grind to a smooth paste and keep handy
2. Slit-and-Stuff Eggplant: Make two slits in the eggplant perpendicular to each other keeping the stem intact; slather the masala paste into the crevices by gently opening up the slits
3. Cook: Heat oil in a pan, add any reserved masala paste and sauté ; then, arrange the slit-and-stuffed eggplants gently, splash some water and sprinkle some salt, cover and allow to cook over medium heat; turn the eggplant gently to cook all sides evenly till cooked through but still intact
4. Serve with Basmati rice or naan; or just enjoy it as-is, like an appetizer

Dolma: Stuffed Grape Leaf Snack with Brown Rice

Dolmas come about often in my kitchen, but in various avatars each time. Stuffed Kohlrabi dolma, or stuffed Swiss chard dolma, and even stuffed Collard greens dolma are fun to make.

Now that grape leaves are handy in the backyard, the traditional grape leaf dolmas come about on and off. Blanching the grape leaves is the first step: just dunk them in boiling water for a few minutes and then plunge them in ice water to make them pliable and ready for stuffing.

The stuffing/filling, sometimes, is just leftovers that works well. And sometimes, it is tailor-made, like this time: a mix of chewy brown and wild rice with onions and dried fruits and nuts and Swiss chard from the garden.

Additionally, I steam the tightly wrapped filled dolmas; if steaming is not an option, then, place them in a pan with about half an inch of water and allow the water to boil, cover or weigh them down, and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

I like them better as leftovers the next day, served at room temperature or chilled, with some tahini-yogurt-based dip.

Fenugreek Sesame Oregano Cumin Stuffed Eggplant

There is something beautiful in the shapely elegance, the careless asymmetry, and the deep velvety purpleness of the Eggplant that has always attracted me.

Of course, having grown these beauties at home for almost a decade now, and knowing that not all of them are purple (think orange!), and not all of them sport the same uniform looks, I'd like to think that their differences add to their charm, for sure.

They are not always in season, and I try to eat local, so, it doesn't always work out that I find the right eggplant for the price and origin I am comfortable with. But, when I found these young Black Bells at the market, I couldn't pass them up.

Stuffing vegetables is always fun, mixing up the spices and grains to suit the mood and the vegetable at hand:

Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Ridge gourd, Snake gourd, Kohlrabi, Zucchini, Danish Squash, Acorn Squash, Scallop Squash, Bell Peppers, Brussels sprouts, Okra, Sweet Potato Skins, Portobello Mushrooms, and of course, Eggplant!

This time, I wanted to bring in the goodness of fenugreek and sesame to the mix. Simmered in a tomato-based sauce, these slit-and-stuffed eggplants were quite a treat, enjoyed even more as leftovers when flavors have had a chance to settle.

The kale in my garden has matured, flowered and gone to seed. Kale flowers get sprinkled on salads when they are handy in the garden. They make a fun garnish for spicy dishes, bringing in their sunny yellow to the dish.

Ingredients
Medium eggplants that are easy to slit and stuff
Oil
Salt to taste

For the spice mix powder:
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (white or black is fine, I went with white)
2 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 Tbsp dry oregano leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 dry red chilies

For the sauce/gravy to simmer in:
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped tomatoes
6 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp raw almonds, soaked in water for about 10 minutes

Preparation

1. Slit the eggplant cross-wise, like a plus sign, to separate out the quarters, but still held intact at the stem-end
2. Rub the insides of the eggplant with some salt and let it sit
3. Grind the spice mix to a powder; stir some of it with some oil to make a paste
4. Slather this paste into the slits of the eggplant
5. Grind the sauce ingredients to a fine paste
6. Heat some oil in a pan, add this paste and a pinch of salt, saute till rawness of onions is gone
7. Add some water and stir well to make a slightly runny sauce consistency, then, place the slit-and-stuffed eggplants into this runny sauce, cover the pan, and allow to simmer till eggplants are cooked and the sauce thickens
8. Turn the eggplant partway, carefully, so, all sides get cooked evenly while still retaining their wholeness
9. Serve warm with naan or basmati rice

Southwest Rice Stuffed Red Peppers

Stuffed vegetables are always fun. And, not just vegetables, anything that lends itself well to stuffing seems a fair game.

Millet and Lentils Stuffed Golden Danish Squash is a particular favorite in autumn when these dainty squashes flood the local farm markets.

Kohlrabi Greens Dolma Bites is another favorite, especially during the Kohlrabi season when local farms and CSA showcase these lovely bulbs aka enlarged stems above the soil.

Stuffed Kohlrabi in Coconut Cream Sauce is another seasonal favorite much relished by the adults in the house

Stuffed Okra might be an acquired taste for some, but, it seems like another favorite at home.

Zucchini Mahshi, inspired by Lebanese-cuisine, is an easy summer favorite of stuffed zucchini served in a spicy sauce.

Nutty Fruity Rice-Stuffed Swiss Chard Dolmas are perfect when these lovely greens are in season in my home garden.


Anyway, the stuffing this time was rice, flavored with Southwest-inspired spices and vegetables -- corn, black beans, red peppers, onions, ancho chilies with some Taco seasoning mix.

Brush the red peppers with oil and roast them in the oven for a short time, then stuff with rice and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Finally, top with some mozzarella and Parmesan and broil right before serving.

Kale and Southwest Veggies Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Israeli Cous Cous

Simple saute of kale with southwest blend veggies like onions, peppers, corn, black beans, and maybe some mushrooms, is versatile as a base for many other dishes.

A good helping of this sauteed veggie blend wrapped in home-made rotis makes a fantastic lunch. And the leftovers come in handy for this chicken dish.

Ingredients
chicken breast, boneless skinless, thinly sliced
some red wine vinegar and Bragg Liquid Aminos for marinating

Veggies blend: Kale, corn, black beans, onions, red peppers, ancho chilies, mushroom, sun-dried tomatoes

Spices: either store-bought cajun seasoning or home-blend of favorite spices

A few tablespoon oil for pan-cooking

Ptitim, aka Israeli Cous Cous

Some toothpicks

Preparation

1. Thinly slice a medium chicken breast into three slices, pound to uniform thickness as needed 
2. Marinate in some red wine vinegar and Bragg liquid aminos for a few hours to overnight 
3. Saute the veggies with spices and keep handy
4. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium low heat
5. Assembly: Place a scoop of the sauteed veggies on a marinated thin slice of chicken breast; roll it up, pulling in the sides, and secure with toothpicks so it doesn't unravel while cooking
6. Gently arrange the stuffed chicken breasts on the hot skillet, cover and allow to cook over medium heat till the bottom is seared and the inside is cooked
7. Flip gently and cook the other side as well until the thickest part registers 165 ° F
8. Cover and allow to rest before serving with cooked cous cous

Portabella Stuffed with Chard, Peppers, Peas

"Giant Fungus? No, thank you!"

That seems to be the trend with the majority of the population in the household.

I happen to love mushrooms of all kinds, especially portabella/cremini. With fancy names like that, how can one sideline them as mere fungi.

Every once in a while, I make it just for myself, as an indulgence. Not an elaborate recipe, but whatever is handy as a stuffing is fine with me - like, leftover rice and beans, TVP, or just cheese and tomatoes and onions.

This stuffing here is my all-time favorite for portabella. Fresh chard, colorful peppers, red onions, jalapeños, peas in a creamy cheese sauce. Simply saute the veggies till softened, add some cheese and heavy cream to make a thick filling.

Rather than bake it in a 400 °F oven for about 10 minutes, I went with cooking it in a cast iron skillet. Gill the portabella and drizzle some Braggs Liquid Aminos and Balsamic vinegar, add some stuffing (I like to pile it on), cook in a lightly oiled hot cast iron skillet with a fitting lid on. Then, remove the lid and cook till done, adding more cheese or filling as desired.

Stuffed Kohlrabi Greens Dolma Bites

Seasonal blueberry-picking and jam-making happened last weekend. I was all set to pay for the berries we picked and head back home when a gorgeous crisp bunch of cheerful kohlrabi jumped up at me. I couldn't resist. I brought it home with much gung-ho, only to get caught up in a million household tasks that couldn't wait any longer. So, the kohlrabi bunch sat there and waited patiently.

I had mentally made some Stuffed Kohlrabi in Coconut Cream Sauce and some Kohlrabi Naan and Kohlrabi Greens Koottu and was thrilled to have used up this new bunch of kohlrabi in fitting ways. Of course, mental-cooking is not the same as actual-cooking. So the kohlrabi sat there, sporting a pout and threatening to wilt. I had to act fast.

That's how the kohlrabi greens got made into these grape-leaf-dolma-like steamed rolls filled with spiced and fragrant rice and vegetables. Much like Swiss Chard Dolma and Collard Green Bites and Cabbage Rolls, these Kohlrabi Greens Dolma Bites were much relished by adults. Kids, not so much.

The filling is a favorite: rice sautéed with vegetables and flavored with aromatic spices, some walnuts and dried cranberries. Since the filling is a favorite side for dinners, I made quite a big batch and saved some. About a dozen large kohlrabi leaves got trimmed and washed and patted dry, ready to be stuffed and steamed.

After steaming for about 12 minutes, I sautéed them in olive oil and garnished with fresh cranberries and blueberries and some sesame seeds. The tartness of the cranberries plus the juicy sweetness of the blueberries complement the spice filling and the savory leaves.

As to the kohlrabi bulbs, they are getting pickled in vinegar - some of them at least. The rest might become fritters or stuffing when I find a pocket of time next.

Ingredients
12 to 14 kohlrabi leaves of uniform size
1 Tablespoon olive oil for sauteing
Favorite garnishes

Filling:
1 cup cooked rice
2 cups finely chopped mixed vegetables - onions, colorful bell peppers, tomatoes, Serrano chilies, cauliflower, cabbage
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Seasoning spices to taste - salt, chili powder, curry powder, paprika, turmeric, cumin powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Preparation

1. Filling: Heat the oil in a pan; add the veggies, saute a bit; then add the spices and saute some more; cover a cook till tender; then add in the rice and adjust seasoning
2. Spoon enough filling onto each kohlrabi leaf and wrap it tight like a burrito and place it in the steaming basket, free side down
3. Steam fro about 12 minutes; remove from steam
4. Heat oil in a pan, place the steamed rolled leaves gently on the pan; turn them over to gently saute all sides
5. Serve warm, garnished with favorite berries and nuts

Millet and Lentil Stuffed Golden Danish Squash

I picked up a few Golden Danish/Acorn and Amber cup and Golden Kuri squashes at the farm market, hoping to make hearty roasted veggies and soups. But, the Golden Danish was perfect for stuffing and baking.

The Stuffing: 
Ingredients
1 cup millet
½ cup lentils
2½ cups stock or water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook millet and lentils in the rice cooker, adding salt/seasonings as preferred, plus some olive oil; fluff with fork when done and keep handy
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and saute favorite veggies - onions, red cabbage, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, grated carrots, adding favorite seasoning - I used lemon pepper seasoning plus some garlic powder and parsley
3. Stir in the cooked, fluffed millet+lentils and adjust seasoning to taste

The Baked Golden Danish:

1. Wash and clean the skin of the squash, cut it in half, scoop out the pulp and seeds; slice off a thin portion of the squash on its curved side so it will sit flat for baking
2. Lightly brush with olive oil, sprinkle some salt, and bake in a 400 °F oven for about 30 minutes, cut side down; then flip the halves so the cut side is up, and add a dab of butter to each half and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes; turn oven off
3. Remove from oven, stuff each half with the millet+lentil filling, top with Pepperjack or Cheddar cheese, return the stuffed halves to the oven and bake for a few more minutes till cheese melts - the residual heat in the oven is plenty for this, even if the oven is off
4. When ready to serve, top with feta and chopped spring onions, serve with a wedge of lemon

Okra Rellenos: Fried Cheese-stuffed Okra in Coconut Flour Batter

Chili Rellenos comes a close second to Mirchi Bajji (Milagai Bajji or Molaga Bajji, colloquially), when done right. Okra Rellenos is just one step away from this, especially since Stuffed Baked Okra comes close, without the frying.

I am not an expert at frying foods. I invariably mess with the batter and ruin it, or not have patience to check the oil temperature and therefore either burn the outsides or get them soggy with oil. I think it is a subconscious defense mechanism: If I don't do it right, then I won't be eating a lot of fried foods, and that must be just fine.

Anyway, I do like to try out different batters, just for the fun of it. I like the tried and tested ones, no doubt. Since I had a big sack of coconut flour and chickpea flour, I wanted to see if the batter made with these two would turn out all right.

Stuffing is easy this time - just some cheddar and mozzarella sticks plus finely minced pickled jalapeno.

Ingredients
for the batter:
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ chickpea flour
2 Tablespoon fine cornmeal (optional - I like the gritty crunch it adds)
2 Tablespoon all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup buttermilk
1¼ cup water (plus or minus a few Tablespoons)
salt and chili powder or smoke paprika powder for seasoning the batter

okra and filling - cheese, jalapeno

Oil for deep frying

Preparation

1. Combine the dry batter ingredients in a bowl, add the buttermilk, then slowly add the water; try not to overstir; coconut flour absorbs water quickly so alternate adding water and stirring to get the batter to a pancake batter like thick yet flowing consistency
2. Slit and stuff the okra and keep it ready
3. Heat the oil for frying to medium
4. Dip the stuffed okra in batter and deep fry in batches
5. Serve warm with chutneys and dips

Stuffed Cucumber Hors d'oeuvres

Perfect for summer, and hard to stop eating, these stuffed cucumber rings didn't start out to be stuffed cucumber rings. They were supposed to be cucumber sushi rolls. But, after sacrificing a cucumber or two, I decided to blame the knife for not doing its job and decided to enlist the trusty old spoon instead.


Inserted the back of a long spoon and scooped out the innards of the cucumber, leaving a fairly thick fleshy part to make up the hollow cylinder for stuffing.

Filling ingredients: Cream cheese, feta, grated carrots, shallots, and sambal oelek came together for a thick and creamy stuffing.

Stuffing/Filling can be prepared ahead and refrigerated till ready to serve. And, keep the stuffed cucumber refrigerated until ready to serve. Also, preferably, place the serving tray over ice, or, as I found out on a hot day, the filling likes to melt and ooze out before we were ready to eat.

Kale & Cabbage Stuffed Chicken Breast

This is not very different from the usual stuffed chicken breast recipes, like Mustard Leaves + Bergenost Cheese Stuffed Chicken.

We've moved away from frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts for the last year or so. Since the switch to free range chicken breasts available at the local market, we have also consciously reduced the chicken consumption - being the only preferred meat for home cooking.

So, any occasion we do cook chicken, which is probably once or twice a month, I try to make it worthwhile; and stuffed chicken is one such much-relished meal for the other half.

Pound the chicken breast to make a thin flat layer. Add the filling and roll or fold it and pin it together with a few toothpicks to hold the stuffing securely inside while the chicken cooks.

The filling this time turned out wonderful, and I reserved some as a warm side as well: Sauteed kale and cabbage bound together with leftover mashed potatoes and a bit of jalapeno jack and smoked gouda.

Cook on a cast iron skillet till fully done. It is a bit tricky to measure the inside chicken temperature as one can't be sure of one is measuring the temperature of the filling or the actual chicken breast, but, trial and error works, and when in doubt, I overcook. The mildly charred outside adds a layer of flavor.

Remove all the toothpicks before serving. Serve with  a simple tomato-red-pepper sauce

Stuffed Bitter Melon

Bitter melon aka bitter gourd is a favorite with the adults in the house. The standard bittergour pitlay, tamarind flavored crunchy bitter melon, pan-fried, oven-baked, bitter gourd sesame pachadi... so many ways to enjoy this fairly bitter fruit.

Here, the fairly large Chinese Fu-gwa is stuffed with some flavored Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP).

Cut the bitter melon in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and pulp. Salt it and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Par cook it with some water in the microwave till just tender but still holding shape. Drain and pat dry.

Prepare the stuffing: Saute some onions and red bell peppers with favorite herbs and spices, add some TVP and just enough water to cook through.

Fill the bitter melon halves with stuffing and bake in a 425°F for about 10 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with cilantro and spring onions.

Zucchini Mahshi

This Lebanese-cuisine inspired Koussa Mahshi or Stuffed Zucchini with a blend of Mediterranean spices, served hot with fresh warm flat bread, is a treat to be relished.

Small whole zucchini is cut at stem end, cored, stuffed and stewed in tomato-based sauce.

I had fairly large zucchinis and scooping out the core seemed tricky, so, I cut them in half and made little zucchini cylinders/tubes. One half of each zucchini is open at both ends, the other half is open only at one end.

Of course, this means, stuffing is not going to be contained inside and will definitely ooze out when cooked, but, the whole blend in the pot with the softened zucchini cylinders, the sauce, and the aromatic rice stuffing came together nicely in the end.

I used the left over stuffing from Swiss Chard Dolmas.

Ingredients
5 or 6 small zucchinis, stem-end trimmed, cored

For the stuffing:
(see Swiss Chard Dolmas)

For the sauce:
12 oz tomato sauce
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried mint (or about 12 to 15 mint leaves chopped finely)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 pod of cardamom, crushed
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
water and salt as needed

Preparation

Stuff the zucchini and keep handy

Bring the sauce to a simmer in a large pot and arrange the filled zucchini cylinders, cover and simmer over low heat till zucchini is tender and cooked just enough, but not mushy.

Swiss Chard Dolma

Dolmas: Something Stuffed.

Flavorful stuffing wrapped in favorite leaves and steamed. Be it East Asian style lettuce leaves or Mediterranean style grape leaves or Swiss chard.

Blanch the Swiss chard leaves after cutting away the white thick stems carefully. I have a tendency to over-stuff, but, this time I managed to use just enough and wrap it into tight little packages for steaming.

Brown rice with toasted pine nuts, feta, and dried cranberries, flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and a hint of cayenne pepper makes up the stuffing for these Swiss Chard Dolmas.

I served it with a Balsamic Vinaigrette dip and Sweet Chili Sauce. But a delicious rich tomato sauce or a light and delicate Mint-Yogurt sauce or Tahini-Sumac-Yogurt Dressing would be wonderful as well.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Bergenost Cheese

Much like classic Chicken Kiev, Chicken Cordon Bleu, this is stuffed chicken breast dish. Stuffing can be anything - like the Pesto Sun-dried Tomato Feta Chicken, or greens and cheese as in this recipe.

Any favorite cheese would work. I had a small chunk of buttery Bergenost, some (non-smoked) Gouda, and some Colby-Jack which is what I ended up using. A combination of fresh mustard greens, Swiss chard and baby spinach leaves worked well. But, any favorite greens would be fine, I'm sure.

These Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Cheese are served here with Asparagus Salad.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (even-sized for uniform cooking)
a handful of greens - mustard, chards, spinach
Bergenost, Gouda, Colby-Jack cheeses
salt and pepper to taste
a few teaspoon olive oil, or canola oil, or butter if preferred
marinade: red wine vinegar (optional)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
2. Marinate the chicken in red wine vinegar for 15-20 minutes, if preferred
3. Slit the chicken breasts to make a pocket into which the stuffing can be introduced
4. Stuff with cheese and greens, season with salt and pepper, place in a baking sheet, brush with oil, cover with Aluminium foil and bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes
5. Remove the foil, brush with oil cook uncovered for another 8-10 minutes
6. Check for doneness - juices run clear, internal temperature is 170°F
7. Optional: Before serving, heat oil in a pan and brown the sides to desired richness

Stuffed purple peppers

Only a few more weeks of Farmer's Saturday Market before they close down for winter... and it was Purple Mania all over again: I had to buy everything purple at the market.

The purple cauliflower went into a yummy salad with pears and raspberry vinaigrette. However, the purple bell peppers were asking to be stuffed and baked. Once cooked, the purple peppers don't retain their bright color, but, taste just as delicious.

Stuffing can be anything you like - say, wild rice stuffing as in my stuffed acorn squash recipe, or eggs with queso panela, corn and beans as in my Tomate Rellenos recipe, or even simple spiced potatoes and peas as for a vegetable samosa recipe.

However, I ended up stuffing these with leftovers. I wasn't in the mood to make special stuffing from scratch, and thankfully, there was enough spicy rice and cholay that needed to be used up anyway, so, this was rather a quick meal to prepare.


Ingredients
2-3 medium purple bell peppers (or red, or yellow, or orange)
Pam™ cooking spray
salt to taste

stuffing:
1 cup cooked rice - leftover rice with your favorite spices and vegetables
½ cup leftover cholay
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese (or any favorite cheese that melts well)
1 medium soy dog, diced
½ cup frozen peas
spring onions chopped (as much as you like)
cilantro, or other herbs for garnish

Preparation

1. Slice the top off the bell peppers, scoop out the seeds and ribs carefully without puncturing the flesh, slice a thin layer off the bottom to make sure the pepper will stand stably and not topple over
2. Heat the oven to 375°F
3. Either in a pan, or in the microwave, par cook the bell peppers: immerse them in salted water completely and boil for a few minutes - the thickness of the flesh and the variety of the pepper will determine how long to do this - basically, in this recipe the peppers are not going to be in the oven for too long (as the stuffing is all pre-cooked), and so, it is nice to make sure the bell pepper is not raw when ready to come out of the oven
4. Remove the bell peppers from water, pat dry, and stuff: a layer of rice at the bottom, a layer of cholay in the middle, and another layer of rice at the top
5. Spray or brush the outside of the pepper with some oil
6. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 15-20 minutes till the skin starts to wrinkle a bit, and gets softer and fork-tender (I usually pinch the top edge a bit to see if it is pliable)
7. Top with some cheese and place it under the broiler briefly till cheese melts
8. Remove from oven, allow to rest a bit
9. Meanwhile, sauté the soy dogs, peas and spring onions with your favorite spices, or just salt, and keep handy to serve on the side and possibly garnish the peppers before serving

Whereas D just picks up the pepper and bites big chunks enjoying all the goodness in each bite, I tend to dissect the thing with my knife and fork and try to take manageable forkfuls in as ladylike a manner as I can :)