Turkish cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Olive Oil Stuffed Zucchini

Hollowed-out zucchini filled with rice, pine nuts, currants and mint, braised in olive oil and served cold.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 8 small zucchini
• 150 g long-grain rice
• 2 onions
• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 tbsp currants
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 bunch dill
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 120 ml olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in warm salted water for 15 min. and rinse; wash the zucchini, trim one end and carefully hollow out with an apple corer, leaving a wall of about 5 mm.
2. Finely dice the onions and sauté in half the olive oil over medium heat for 6–8 min. until soft and sweet.
3. Add the pine nuts and toast for 2 min. until light golden, then stir in the currants, tomato paste, rice, sugar, salt and pepper and toss for 2 min.
4. Remove from the heat, fold in the finely chopped dill and crumbled mint, and let the mixture cool slightly.
5. Loosely fill the zucchini three-quarters full – the rice will still expand –, pack them tightly into a pot, and pour in the remaining olive oil and 250 ml hot water.
6. Weigh down with a plate, cover and braise over low heat for 35–40 min. until the rice is cooked and the zucchini are tender; let cool to room temperature in the pot and serve cold.