Stuff It!

Again my sincere apologies for being horribly absent lately but I'm back and that's all that matters!  :)  It's weather like this that makes us want to follow the advice and habits of bears and simply hibernate and not venture out anywhere...I mean really, 10 below with the wind chill?  Not nice!  So I say stuff it mother nature!  :) 

Here's a perfect way to spend your cozy day at home; with my stuffed zucchini; these are amazing with the well seasoned veal and can even be served hot or at room temperature and drizzled with a tad of basil or garlic oil before serving.  Mmmm...

So, what you'll need:

• 4 large zucchinis
• EVOO
• finely chopped shallots
• finely chopped celery
• finely chopped parsnips or turnips (I hate cooked carrots but you could use that instead if you prefer)
• finely minced garlic cloves
• a couple bay leaves
• minced fresh basil
• finely chopped fresh rosemary
• dry white cooking wine
• about a pound or so of boneless veal, chopped into smaller pieces
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• one large egg, well beaten (it's been bad)  :)
• salt and pepper to taste
• a few tbsps of unsalted butter

How you'll go about it:

• Slice your zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out the centers and discard them; leaving the shells
• Heat your EVOO in a heavy skillet; add the onion, celery, parsnips, garlic and bay leaves and saute till veggies are soft but NOT browned
• Remove from heat; discard the bay leaves, add the basil, rosemary and wine; stir in the veal and grind the mixture together in a food processor
• Add the cheese and egg to the meat mixture and mix to combine thoroughly; season with salt and pepper
• Preheat the oven to 375 and pack the mixture into each zucchini shell and dot with butter
• Place shells in a baking dish and add a bit of water to the bottom...about a half an inch
• Cover and bake for about 25-30 minutes; serve hot or at room temp; either way is yummy goodness!

If you have to venture out and you're lucky enough to live nearby I highly suggest stopping in at Foodie's Feast and Haley's Wine & Spirits at 114 Washington Street in Marblehead for a hot coffee or hot chocolate and a scrumptious breakfast or lunch and then walk through to Haley's and ask Julie or Paul about a great wine recommendation for your stuffed zucchini; they're the experts and they have the best selection in town...check 'em out; you'll be glad you did!  www.foodiesfeast.com and http://www.facebook.com/haleyswine

Stay warm!  Cheers!