Stuffed vegetables seem to be omnipresent here in Israel. I see them on menus in restaurants, as an option for take-out at some of my favorite places, and I’ve been served them when dining at other people’s homes. At one dinner, I had a terrific version of a courgette, or a lighter green version of a zucchini filled with ground beef. I’ve also had a delicious stuffed artichoke bottom filled with meat in a celery sauce – the celery sauce being thick, savory and a little lemony, which complimented the artichoke and meat perfectly. And recently on a trip to Bethlehem, the group I was with was served a home-cooked lunch prepared by some of the women from the nearby village we were touring. This lunch featured an unbelievably delicious vegetarian version of cabbage, courgettes and baby eggplants stuffed with rice and covered in a tomato and yogurt-based sauce. This last version was so good, that upon leaving, I managed to get very rudimentary ingredients and instructions, not being sure that I would ever make them, but at least wanting the ability to try.
And then as I was planning my menu for a recent Shabbat lunch – lightning struck. First, a new friend I was hosting turned out to be vegan and second, there were these really adorable squashes at my favorite fruit/vegetable vendor. It was the perfect opportunity to stuff some vegetables.
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For a first attempt, I have to say that I was particularly pleased with my efforts. And let me just say that this dish was not hard to make but had the added benefit of looking impressive. Because my friend was a vegan and the rest of the meal included meat, I made a version that removed the yogurt. I’ve included the yogurt as an option in the ingredients below, because I do believe that it gives the dish that extra level of richness that I tasted in that small Palestinian village. The beauty of this dish is that it’s versatile and is delicious either way.
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So the next time you’re at the farmer’s market or a store and faced with an abundance of entirely adorable vegetables – grab a dozen and stuff away. You’ll be happy you did.
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Stuffed Vegetables Middle Eastern Style (Vegetarian)
Vegetables: 12-14 vegetables to stuff –zucchinis/eggplant/bell peppers etc.
For the stuffing:
1 medium onion – finely diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 hot pepper (seeds & ribs removed) – finely diced
½ red pepper – finely diced
2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large handful of parsley – stems removed & chopped
1 large handful of cilantro – stems removed & chopped
Small handful of mint – stems removed & chopped (optional)
Small handful of dill – stems removed & chopped (optional)
Salt & pepper
For the sauce:
1 small can tomato paste (approx ½ cup)
1.5 cups water
1.5 cups plain yogurt
½ large can of crushed tomatoes (approx 2 cups)
More water as necessary
*If you are making this recipe parve, eliminate the yogurt and replace with water.
Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let the rice soak for 45 minutes to an hour. While the rice is soaking, prepare the vegetables. Hollow out the vegetables leaving enough of the flesh intact for them to hold together during cooking. If you have very large zucchinis, cut them in half.
Drain the rice and add all of the remaining stuffing ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Fill the vegetables ¾ of the way full (you need to leave room for expansion as the rice cooks). Place the vegetables in a deep covered, ovenproof pot. It’s okay if they’re layered. If you have round vegetables that don’t layer so well, you can put them in a shallow roasting pan or casserole dish. Mix the tomato paste with the water and pour over the vegetables. Pour the tomatoes and yogurt over the vegetables as well.
Cover tightly and simmer the vegetables over a medium high flame for 20 minutes. At this point you can either turn the flame down to low and continue cooking on the stovetop or place the vegetables in the oven on 325 degrees for another 45 minutes. Check periodically to make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot and spooning the pan juices over the top of the vegetables if they seem dry. You can add additional water if necessary, but be conservative so as not to water down the flavor. You can serve these right away or they will also reheat nicely if being made the day before.
