Chicken-stuffed zucchini

Name: Chicken-stuffed zucchini
Ingredients: 10 medium zucchini; 1 kg ground chicken; 300 g short-grain rice; 2 spring onions; 2 medium onions (300 g); 1 small carrot (70 g); 2-3 tablespoons oil; 100 g tomato juice; 15 g fresh parsley; 15 g fresh dill; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 1 red kapia pepper; 400 ml borș de putină; 500 ml water; 200 g sour cream; 1 hot pepper

Meat - Chicken-stuffed zucchini by Emanuela L. - Recipia

Chicken-stuffed zucchini, simmered in sour Romanian borș, a fermented bran liquid, have tender rice filling while the zucchini stay soft but whole. Onion, carrot and herbs go into the filling, and red kapia pepper serves as a lid; the tangy broth goes into the bowl too. I prefer to cut the pepper lids a little wider so they cover the opening well. Prep: 40 minutes. Cook time: 95 minutes. Total time: 135 minutes. Servings: 5. Approximately 760 kcal and 55 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

10 medium zucchini
1 kg ground chicken
300 g short-grain rice
2 spring onions
2 medium onions (300 g)
1 small carrot (70 g)
2-3 tablespoons oil
100 g tomato juice
15 g fresh parsley
15 g fresh dill
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 red kapia pepper
400 ml borș de putină
500 ml water
200 g sour cream
1 hot pepper

Preparation

1. Cut off one end of each zucchini and carefully scoop out the flesh, keeping the walls intact. Chop the flesh. 2. Chop the spring onions, yellow onions and carrot. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté the vegetables and zucchini flesh for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Add the tomato juice and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. 3. Rinse the rice and stir it into the sautéed vegetables. Add the ground chicken, chopped parsley and dill, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well. 4. Fill the zucchini with the mixture and cut lids for each one from the kapia pepper. 5. Arrange the zucchini in a pot, pour in 400 ml borș de putină and 500 ml water, enough to cover them. Simmer over medium heat for about 90 minutes, until the zucchini are soft and the rice is cooked. 6. Serve with sour cream and hot pepper.

Notes

Serve two zucchini per bowl with a little broth, sour cream and hot pepper. Ground turkey can replace the chicken in the same quantity; the sour cream served with the dish contains dairy. Store any leftover zucchini in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat them in their broth so they don’t dry out. Choose zucchini of a similar size, with firm skin and no soft spots; very large ones often have more developed seeds, which you can scoop out as you hollow them. A tall pot that holds them snugly helps the broth reach all around them without them tipping over. Smaller ones soften faster, so check them during the last 15 minutes.