Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini Coosakoosa Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN STUFFED ZUCCHINI RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the stuffing ingredients of rice, ground beef, shredded onion, fresh parsley, dill, diced tomatoes, water, olive oil, allspice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Mix by hand to combine.
• Now, remove the top of 3 tomatoes and remove the core to hollow out the tomatoes making room for the stuffing. Do this using a corer like this one.
• With a knife, remove the very top of the zucchini, then cut each zucchini in half to make shorter zucchini for stuffing. Now you need to hollow out the zucchini to make room for the stuffing.
• Insert your corer about 3/4 of the way into the zucchini, making sure not to poke the bottoms. Twist the corer and pull out the zucchini cores or hearts. Do this a few times, and gently scrape the sides of the zucchini until you have hollowed each out making room for the stuffing. You'll want to leave about 1/4 inch rim of zucchini.
• Lightly oil the bottom of a large deep cooking pan like this one. Slice the remaining tomato and spread over the bottom of the pan. Now add the onion slices and the cores or hearts of the zucchini. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
• Now, using your hands, gently stuff the hollowed tomatoes with the rice stuffing. Then loosely stuff the zucchini with the rice stuffing about 3/4 of the way (do not over-stuff or crowd the rice stuffing in the zucchini or it will not cook well).
• Arrange the stuffed tomatoes in the center of the cooking pan, then add the stuffed zucchini (stuffed side up) around them. Tilt the zucchini a little, this helps them cook nicely through using less liquid.
• Now add the tomato sauce and water. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
• Place the pan on the stove and cook on medium-high heat until the liquid starts boiling. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for for 50 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the rice stuffing is fully cooked.
• Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Top with the sauce from the cooking pan. Enjoy!

LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI (COOSA/KOOSA)

Steps:

• Cut one end off each zucchini. Use a small scoop to scoop the flesh from the zucchinis, leaving shells. Discard the flesh.
• Mix chopped round steak, rice, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Lightly stuff the steak mixture into the zucchinis, making sure to leave about 1 inch of space for the rice to expand; if you don't, the zucchini will burst which still tastes good but doesn't look as nice.
• Place the zucchinis in a large pot; add tomato soup and stewed tomatoes. Place a plate on top of the zucchinis to prevent them from bouncing around once the sauce is boiling.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the rice is fully cooked, 30 to 45 minutes.

LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Wash and dry the zucchinis, cut off the stalks and slice off the dried tips at the opposite end without removing too much flesh.
• Carefully hollow out the zucchini. Start from the stalk end by inserting your corer about 3/4 of the way into the zucchini, making sure not to poke the bottoms or the tender skin of the zucchinis. Twist the corer and pull out the zucchini flesh. Do this a few times, until you have a generous cavity.
• Set cored zucchini aside.
• In your food processor, add the cut pieces of tomatoes and pulse a few times until well blended.
• In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the stuffing ingredients of rice, ground beef, butter, fresh blended tomatoes, spices and salt until fully combined (I do this by hand).
• Using your hands stuff the zucchini with the beef mixture, leaving half of an inch free at the top to allow the filling to expand.
• Repeat for the rest of the hollowed zucchini.
• Arrange the stuffed zucchinis in a large pot, add water, just enough to slightly cover the zucchinis.
• Cover the pot, place on medium-high heat, and bring water to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium- low, add tomato sauce or tomato paste, or both ( depending on how thick you like you sauce to be).
• Cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes or until the zucchini is tender and the rice stuffing is fully cooked.
• Taste the sauce and adjust salt if you'd like.
• Transfer to a serving plate, serve and enjoy!

LEBANESE ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Remove seeds from zucchini and cut into matchsticks or diced cubes.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet.
• Add onions and bell peppers, sautee for 2-3 minutes until slightly soft.
• Add zucchini to pan and stir until it begins to soften.
• Add lemon juice and spices to pan. Continue cooking until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add salsa to pan and cook a couple more minutes until bubbly and liquid is absorbed.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

LEBANESE STUFFED KOUSA SQUASH

Steps:

• To hollow out the kousa, trim off the top and use a zucchini core to slowly remove the inside of the squash. Be careful not to poke through the bottom or the sides. Once the squash is hollowed out, set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine beef, rinsed uncooked rice, salt, and pepper. Add half of the garlic (3 grated cloves) and half of the mint (1 tablespoon) to the meat mixture and combine.
• Before you start stuffing the squash, place the tomato juice or tomato paste/water mixture in a large pot, and heat on medium high until boiling.
• While the tomato juice is heating up, begin stuffing the kousa. Be careful to leave about 1 1/2 inch at the top which allows room for them to expand. If you have leftover meat mixture, simply roll them into little meatballs, and add to the tomato broth.
• When the tomato juice has come to a boil, add the remaining mint (1 tablespoon) and garlic (3 grated cloves) as well as the lemon juice.
• If you used tomato paste/water, add salt and pepper to the broth to taste.
• Gently add in the stuffed kousa. Bring to a boil then turn to low and simmer for 35 minutes. The meatballs are the perfect way to see if the rice is fully cooked.
• Serve in a bowl with plain yogurt on the side.

LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI (COOSA/KOOSA)

Steps:

• Cut one end off each zucchini. Use a small scoop to scoop the flesh from the zucchinis, leaving shells. Discard the flesh.
• Mix chopped round steak, rice, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Lightly stuff the steak mixture into the zucchinis, making sure to leave about 1 inch of space for the rice to expand; if you don't, the zucchini will burst which still tastes good but doesn't look as nice.
• Place the zucchinis in a large pot; add tomato soup and stewed tomatoes. Place a plate on top of the zucchinis to prevent them from bouncing around once the sauce is boiling.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the rice is fully cooked, 30 to 45 minutes.