Moroccan Stuffed Zucchini Peppers Recipe 435

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Use a melon baller to separate and remove seeds and pulp separately from the zucchini, carving out each half and leaving about a half-inch shell. Chop zucchini pulp into pieces about 1/4 inch in diameter. Discard seeds.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground lamb; continue to cook and stir until lamb is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir chopped zucchini into the lamb mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer mixture until the zucchini is hot, about 3 minutes. Drain excess grease. Season lamb mixture with coarse salt and black pepper.
• Remove skillet from heat. Stir tomato sauce, tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts, and 1/4 cup mint leaves through the lamb mixture; spoon into the zucchini halves. Put stuffed zucchini halves into a large baking dish. Pour water into the baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Mix bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mint leaves over the zucchini and top with the bread crumb mixture. Continue baking until the top is crusty and browned, about 10 minutes more.

MOROCCAN-STYLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
• Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

MOROCCAN STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut off the tops of the peppers, and remove the seeds and membranes. Cook the peppers in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well, and set aside.
• Saute onion and garlic in oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until tender.
• Add the ground beef, and cook until the meat is browned, stirring until meat crumbles. Drain.
• Combine the meat mixture, apple, and the next 7 ingredients. Mix well.
• Stuff the reserved peppers with the meat mixture; place in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix raisins, cherries and apricots; cover with orange juice. Let stand 20 minutes; drain.
• Meanwhile, remove tops, seeds and membranes from bell peppers. Set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth, water and orange peel to boiling. Stir in couscous; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with fork. Stir in dried fruit mixture, onions, cilantro, mint, salt and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cheese; add remaining cheese to couscous mixture. Spoon into bell peppers. Stand upright in 8-inch square pan.
• Bake uncovered 15 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender and stuffing is hot. Sprinkle reserved cheese over stuffed peppers. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until cheese begins to melt.