Comme un petit bateau – Courgettes farcies au millet, épinards, parmesan et herbes
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I don’t know why I am not a fan of stuffed vegetables, it is something I quite never had a great pleasure eating and I really cannot understand why. Maybe because they remind me of my childhood: the stuffed vegetables my aunt was preparing in Italy, they were so greasy and floating on oil, that I could not eat them…and of course, I had absolutely no other option than eat them, because she would not let me go. I would elbow my mom so she could take them discreetly in her plate, but of course, that was not an option either since zia Flora was scrutinizing us. Now, zia Flora has no internet and does not speak English, so she will never know I hate her stuffed eggplants!

In France we have an expression that says “marche ou crève” meaning “walk or die”, in Italy it would be more like “mange ou crève” which means “eat or die”!!

Anytime I make stuffed vegetables, I just cannot avoid thinking about those beautiful purple eggplant soaked in oil. Not sure why some of the older generation of people think that if there is little fat, there is no taste, that somehow fat and taste are related. Where does this come from? Obviously you need fat, I don’t like anything “fat-free”, and never buy those fat-free products but you just cannot use half liter of oil anytime you make a meal.

Those zucchini are different, they are fulfilling but light and certainly not greasy. I used little millet and actually I was quite happy about the result, so I figured I would post it, for those of you who want an idea for stuffing veggies.

I know millet is mainly a bird seed but I somehow like its taste and nutritious values, since they are filled with proteins.

Ingredients for 6

  • 3 medium size zucchini
  • 1/3 cup millet
  • 1 tomato, seedless, peeled and diced
  • 1 tbs parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbs basil, chopped
  • 2 tbs parmigiano reggiano, grated
  • 1/2 cup cooked spinach
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 shallot

Preparation

First start cooking millet. You can either use a rice cooker, or steam millet in twice its quantity of water until it’s soft and the seed has popped out.

Cut the zucchini lenghtwise, scoop the flesh with a teaspoon, cut in small pieces. Heat olive oil in a pan, add shallots, and cook until soft, then add garlic and cook for another minute or less. Add the diced zucchini flesh and cook until soft.

In a container, mix zucchini, shallot mixture, add tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients and the cooked millet. Mix well and stuff the zucchini with the mixture.

Cover with aluminum foil and cook in a 375F oven for about 20 minutes, then remove foil and cook for additional 10 minutes to brown the top.