When midsummer hits, it’s quite possible that you’ve found yourself with a bounty of veggies coming into peak season and don’t know what to do with them all. The summer months bring our favourite nightshades and summer squashes to the table in a hurry, ripened beautifully under the hot sun to the point you can almost taste the sunshine. These usual suspects include tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis.
Sharing your bounty with loved ones, at community gatherings, or your local food bank is a great way to share the best of the season for everyone to enjoy. However, if people stop answering your “does anyone want some more fresh zucchini” texts it’s also a great opportunity to have some fun in the kitchen and try some new recipes at home.
We’re excited to share our Eating Seasonally recipe this month which features zucchinis and tomatoes who are steadily coming into harvest this time of year, and we can’t wait to share this delicious dish with you: tomato-stuffed zucchini boats! 🍅⛵
One of the best things about this recipe is how the crisp, subtle flavours of the zucchini mingle with the acidic, creamy softness of the tomatoes in this beautiful blend of summer veggies. This dish is an optimal way to utilize the vegetables in your garden for a healthy lunch, as a side for dinner, or however you so please.
Follow the recipe below to make your own tomato-stuffed zucchini boats at home and enjoy eating seasonally!
Tomato-Stuffed Zucchini Boats (2 servings)
What You Will Need:
- 1 zucchini
- 1 cooking onion (or sweet onion)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 large tomato (Roma or beefsteak)
- 1 cup of cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
- Handful of parsley
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Step 1: Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 200 degrees Celsius). Gather your ingredients and begin the mise en place.
Step 2: Cut the zucchini lengthwise, making sure that both halves are relatively equal in size.
Step 3: Use a spoon to hollow out the seedy/fleshy part of the zucchini, then roughly chop the flesh into small chunks. Place in a bowl for later use.
Step 4: Peel and dice one whole onion and three cloves of garlic (more if you are a garlic lover). Place the chopped onion and garlic in two separate bowls.
Step 5: Dice the tomato and set in a bowl for later.
Step 6: Finely mince the parsley and set aside.
Step 7: Heat up a pan with olive oil on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, throw in the onions, turn the heat to medium, and maintain at a steady simmer. Once the onions are aromatic, throw in the garlic. Mix it into the onions and continue to simmer until the onions and garlic are translucent and nearing browning.
Step 8: Add the zucchini flesh, mix the contents, and cook until tender. Add the tomatoes to the pan, mix the contents, and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 9: In a mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese and the zucchini/tomato mixture. Toss in the finely chopped parsley. Mix thoroughly until you achieve a beautiful creamy filling.
Step 10: Place the zucchini boats on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, gently spoon the ricotta mixture into the zucchini boats, adding generously to fill each one.
Step 11: Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and place the zucchini boats in the oven for 15-18 minutes. To assess whether the zucchini boats are ready or not, pierce with a fork and if the fork easily slides in and out, take them out of the oven. Sprinkle with extra parsley for extra finesse and enjoy!