Zucchini Stuffed with Lamb recipe

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutesServes: 4

Ingredients

9 oz/250 g ground (minced) lamb
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon seven spices seasoning
1 tablespoon dried mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1⅓ cup (2 oz/6o g) long grain rice, rinsed
10 small Lebanese zucchini (courgettes), trimmed
1 tomato, chopped
salt and pepper

For the sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons tomato paste (purée)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon seven spices seasoning

Directions

Heat a skillet or frying pan, add the lamb, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes until evenly browned.

Add the onion and seven spices seasoning, reduce the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the mint and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rice.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste (puree), salt, pepper, and seven spices seasoning and cook for another minute. Pour in 1⅓ cups (1/2 pint/300 ml) boiling water and bring to back to a boil, then reduce the heat. Meanwhile, using an apple corer, remove the flesh from the zucchini (courgettes) and stuff the cavities with the lamb and rice mixture.

Put a piece of tomato at either the end to prevent the filling from falling out. Add the zucchini and any leftover rice to the to the sauce, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 25 minutes.

Source: The Lebanese Kitchen