Stuffed Zucchini Boats Filled with Quinoa, Tomatoes, and Spinach

I love stuffed vegetables for its juxtaposition of the fresh, unadulterated veggie “bowl” alongside the flavorful, scrumptuous filling. It’s a yin-yang balance that if done well, tastes bold and pure at the same time.

This time, I decided to try my hand at 2 new ventures: 1. stuffing zucchini and 2. making a recipe using quinoa.

Zucchinis make great stuffed vegetables because of how evenly they cook in the oven. You don’t have to do much to it – a quick brush with olive oil to bring out its mild squash flavor. It’s high water content gives you that satisfying juicy crunch. Also, since they’re oblong shaped, they don’t teeter totter in the oven like peppers and tomatoes, which means you don’t have to worry about your filling spilling out while baking in the oven.

Lately there has been much popularity over Quinoa - a type of 100% whole grain that comes from the seed of a leafy plant. It’s been around for thousands of years and has been widely used by the Incas of South America. Aside from being super-nutritious and gluten free (remember when Top Chef Masters’ Michael Chiarello made a Quinoa-based noodle for the gluten-intolerant Zoe Deschanel?), it has a slightly nutty flavor. And, as I discovered, it beautifully soaks up other flavors you infuse into it. Baking it in the oven for a little bit will also give your zucchini boat a crispy-top filling!

Ingredients:

• 4 large zucchinis
• 2 cups quinoa – washed thoroughly
• 4 cups veggie stock
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Tomato Paste
• Dried Basil (for flavoring)

Filling the Boat:

1. Cut each zucchini in half, and scoop out the centers to make little “boats”. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper and set aside
2. Cook the Quinoa in stock until it comes to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer until all the stock has been soaked up by the quinoa.
3. Add in tomato paste and dried basil leaves to flavor.
4. Chop up the tomatoes and and spinach. Add to the Quinoa blend.
5. Scoop up the quinoa mixture and carefully fill up the zucchini boats * Note: Don’t be afraid to make the blend extra flavorful, since we’re not doing much to flavor the zucchini itself.
6. Bake in the oven at 350 for around 20 min.

Variations:

• Instead of zucchini, use eggplant, pumpkin, or butternut squash (next on my list to make!)
• Try making boats with (fresh raw) cucumber. Mix in some smashed chickpeas or hummus into the quinoa mixture and serve with some dill yogurt
• Feel free to play around with different filling ingredients - celery, carrots, nuts, mushrooms, raisins
• Give the quinoa blend a twist with soy sauce, peanut dressing, tahini sauce, hummus (as mentioned above), or Worchestershire sauce.

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The Appetizing Bon Appetit Supper Club

This week, I went to check out the Bon Appétit Supper Club (http://www.basupperclubandcafe.com), a pop up restaurant located conveniently in Midtown Manhattan ~10 blocks away from my office! I am a huge fan of the “pop-up” phenomenon – the thrill of catching a limited engagement just makes you feel so…”in the know”.

The Bon Appétit Supper Club is only open to the public from 11AM to 3PM this week only, and it features simple cafe dishes (sandwiches, soups, desserts) from top chefs like Rick Bayless, Cat Cora, and Daniel Boulud. There are also cooking demos, book signings, and Q & A sessions throughout the day to keep you entertained.

I snuck out during lunchtime to try to get a taste of all the culinary delights. 

As you can see, the space was set up just like any other NYC lunch spot, but the difference is that for the same price (under $10 a pop) you get food designed by renowned chefs! I headed straight for the sandwich section and snagged a yummy vegetarian sandwich with marinated peppers, zucchini and smoked ricotta by Nate Appleman. It was really simple,  yet the pepperonata (made with fennel, capers, red pepper, and red wine) gave it such a complex savory flavor that I was sad to finish it off.

Next I hit the dessert section for a treat. And with all the selection under the $3 mark, it was indeed a hard decision to choose only one! I settled on a fluffy looking Venetian Apple Cake by Gina DePalma, and it certainly did not disappoint. The muffin/cupcake texture was moist, with just the right amount of sweetness and a bit of cinnamon spice. It tasted like a hybrid of apple pie, carrot cake, and pumpkin bread – deliciously appropriate for fall!

The Dessert Section

All in all, a wonderful break from the daily grind! I caught a glimpse of Daniel Boulud, who came in for his book signing at 1:30, but alas, had to rush back to the office for a meeting and could not stay

You can read more about the event from High Low Food Drink’s blog here. They were able to get a picture with Chef Boulud (I feel my eyes turning green). Anyway, they gave a great recap with some fun pictures. Check it out! http://highlowfooddrink.blogspot.com/2009/09/bon-appetit-supper-club-and-cafe-our.html

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Quesadilla Caprese and Chinese Six-Treasures Quesadilla

This week, the Quesadilla goes international to the Mediterranean and the Far East in search of cultural twists on flavors.

Quesadilla Caprese:
First stop was Italy. Caprese salad, composed of juicy tomatoes, floral basil, and fresh mozzarella is often used as a meal starter to whet the appetite. The taste of Insalata Caprese reminds me of dining Al Fresco on a breezy summer evening, and with this sudden onset of fall, I was suddenly craving that feeling. The sweet corn & flour tortilla served as the perfect transition to take this from an appetizer to a more filling meal. Top off the quesadilla with some marinara sauce, and it transforms into Magherita Quesadilla!

Ingredients:

• Fresh Tomatoes (Plum, Heirloom, Beefsteak), sliced
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh Basil, coarsely chopped (to bring out flavor)
• Large Flour Tortilla
• Marinara or Vodka Sauce (optional)

Put it together:

1.  Heat up a pan with just a little bit of olive oil. Lay down a piece of tortilla
2. Spread out the Mozzarella and Tomatoes, alternating slices, and then topping off with chopped basil
3. Cover with second piece of tortilla and brush some olive oil on top
4. When you hear sizzling, flip to cook the other side, and continue flipping/cooking until both sides turn a crispy golden brown.
5. Brush on marinara or vodka sauce, and cut into 6 or 8 slices.

Six Treasures Quesadilla:
Next destination for the quesadilla – my home country of Taiwan. I remember Taiwan only from the eyes of a toddler, so my knowledge of Taiwanese food derives from the home cooking of my lovely, and also often experimental mother. Her strategy for food creation involves pairing up ingredients she finds in the fridge, concocting complementary sauce/seasonings, and adding in heaps of love. Since Six is a lucky number in Chinese culture, I decided to choose 6 colorful veggies to create a savory blend for this quesadilla.

Ingredients:

• Six Treasures (Shitake Mushrooms, Leeks, Spinach, Carrots, Bean Sprouts, Bamboo Shoots)
• Large Tortilla
• Satay/Stir Fry Sauce (soy sauce, minced ginger, black vinegar, red chili pepper sauce, and a dash of sweet chili sauce)
• Peanut Sauce (optional)

Compiling the Treasure Chest:

1. Stir fry/saute all the veggies, stirring in the sauce until veggies are cooked and well-seasoned. Set aside.
2. Brush pan with a little olive oil, and lay down a piece of tortilla. Spread out the 6 treasures on the tortilla and top with another piece of tortilla. Brush on with more olive oil.
3. Keep flipping and cooking until quesadilla becomes crispy and browned.
4. Top off with peanut sauce, cut into slices and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Variations:

• Try these alternate “treasures”: celery, cabbage, firm tofu, water chestnuts, baby corn, eggplant, eggs, red pepper
• Use Plum or Sweet & Sour Sauce for a sweeter tang
• Use black bean sauce for a more earthy, salty flavor
• Fry the veggies in some rice, and wrap it all up in the tortilla like a burrito
• Feel free to use herbs like basil, parsley, or cilantro

Thus concludes today’s journey. Stay tuned for our next experimental adventure!

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