“Are you beginning to stack your zucchini like cordwood? Are you opening the door to find a basket of zucchini left like a foundling on the front step?”
We’re here to help you use it up!
A recipe adapted from our corporate chefs at Veronica Foods – always raising the bar!
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds zucchini, coarsely grated
2 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup plain, uncooked white rice
1 medium onion, minced
1 Tbsp Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil
5 Tbsp Ginger & Black Garlic Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Jalapeno White Balsamic
1 ‘hot’ chili (to your heat level), finely chopped
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Cup vegetable stock or chicken stock
8 oz. cream cheese
2 large ripe field tomatoes, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat oven to 325 °F.
Grease a 2-quart baking dish with Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil.
Prepare remaining ingredients: Lightly salt zucchini, place in a colander over the sink to drain excess water. Toss zucchini with flour and set aside.
In a large frying pan, cook onions and chili pepper slowly in 3 Tbsp of Ginger & Black Garlic Olive Oil for 8 to 10 minutes until tender.
Raise heat slightly, stir for several minutes until lightly browned. Add uncooked rice & sauté for two minutes.
Mix Jalapeno White Balsamic with 2 Tbsp water, scrape & deglaze the pan.
To the still-hot pan, add 1/2 cup stock & cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is melted and stock & rice are combined. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Transfer contents of the frying pan to a bowl with zucchini, stir together with remaining stock and 1 cup of cheese.
Taste & adjust seasoning as needed.
Transfer to baking dish. Layer the thinly sliced tomatoes over the top.
Cover tightly with foil, bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until rice is ‘al dente’.
Increase oven to 450 °F. Remove foil, drizzle the top with remaining olive oil, sprinkle remaining cheese over tomatoes and bake uncovered another 10 to 15 minutes until browned & crisp on top.
