Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Italian sausage is one of those things that I could eat every week.  Nico is not a fan of fennel, and he tells me he isn't a fan of Italian sausage but I have about 5 dishes I make with it that he loves.   Fennel seed is part of what gives Italian sausage it's distinct flavor.  This dish is one that he does enjoy a few times every summer with me, but I know it's not his first choice.  But it's a simple enough dish for me to make for lunch or on nights when he is not home.

Two weeks ago, Nico went to New Orleans for an entire week and I decided to make an entirely vegetarian menu for the week.   I was set to make a new dish with zucchini when at the last second I decided to make this again.  It was the only meat dish I ate all week.   Now, in all truth, this dish could easily be delicious without the sausage.  The original source for this recipe used pancetta instead of sausage.   You can also add whatever vegetables you have on hand to the stuffing, like corn or chop up some spinach.  You can also substitute whatever cheese you love for the parmesan.  So basically, this is yet another dish that works well with what you have on hand.

It's too simple not to have a few times every summer, though.  Zucchini is halved, hallowed and filled with sauteed onions and sausage, as well as tomatoes, herbs, parmesan cheese, more zucchini and sour cream.   It's baked in the oven. topped with more parmesan cheese.  It is full of all the vibrant, fresh, summer flavors that I love.

I love zucchini year round.  But this is definitely my favorite summer zucchini dish.  If it's too hot to heat the oven, then just heat the grill to 400 degrees and let it bake outside!

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini
recipe adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

2 large zucchini
1 tomato, diced
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (I use parsley, chives and basil)
1/4 lb Italian sausage, without casing
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a sauté pan set over medium high heat, cook the sausage and onion until the sausage is cooked through.  Set aside to cool.

Clean the zucchini and slice them in half and scrape out the insides.  I use a spoon.  Dice what you scoop out and set aside in a medium bowl.  Dice a tomato and add that to the zucchini.  Add the sour cream, salt and pepper and fresh herbs and half the parmesan cheese.  Toss to combine.  Add the cooled sausage and onions.

Stuff the sausage mixture inside the hallowed out zucchini boats.  Top with remaining parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes and until cheese is browned.  Top with more fresh herbs and enjoy.


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