Mexican Stuffed Vegetables
Our garden made a lot of squash this year so in the process of trying to figure out what to do with it all I came up with this recipe
Our garden made a lot of squash this year so in the process of trying to figure out what to do with it all I came up with this recipe
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 medium squash see note * or 8 small
- 1/2 cup rice not instant
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 pound lean ground meat
- 1/2 red or green bell pepper diced
- 1 8 ounce tomato sauce
- shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese to taste
- fresh cilantro for garnish - optional
- Carbohydrate 13.3407158333333 g
- Cholesterol 25.3866666666667 mg
- Fat 5.91790416666667 g
- Fiber 1.41089168705543 g
- Protein 8.77515666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 2.255919 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (148g)
- Sodium 72.4285833333334 mg
- Sugar 11.9298241462779 g
- Trans Fat 0.853288500000001 g
- Calories 141 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare the squash according to the directions in the notes below.
- Bring the water or chicken broth to a boil in a small lidded sauce pan.
- Add the rice, stir, and cover.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Meanwhile, brown the meat in a large skillet, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns.
- Roughly chop the necks of the squash*.
- When the meat is almost brown, add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and squash necks to the skillet.
- Cook the vegetables with the meat until they have softened a little and the meat has browned completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Add the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and brown sugar to the meat mixture, stirring to mix well.
- Add the cooked rice and simmer 4-5 minutes, mixing the rice with the other ingredients.
- If it seems dry, add a little water.
- Remove from heat.
- Spoon the meat mixture into the squash halves (or whatever veggie you're stuffing).
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and return the dish to the oven uncovered for five minutes.
Why is my squash swimming in water after baking? Home cooks often encounter a watery pool at the bottom of the baking dish because summer squash is composed almost entirely of water. Slicing a thin sliver off the rounded bottom of each half before baking creates a flat, stable base that prevents tipping while also removing the thickest, toughest skin.
Balancing Moisture and Flavor
Standard summer squash varieties like zucchini or crookneck contain about ninety-five percent water by weight. Salt acts as an osmotic agent when applied directly to the raw cavities before filling. Drawing out excess moisture prior to assembly prevents the released liquid from diluting the tomato sauce and spices during baking. Using long-grain white rice rather than instant varieties ensures the grains absorb excess cooking liquids without turning into paste. Ground cumin and chili powder contain fat-soluble volatile compounds that bloom intensely when fried directly in the meat fat alongside the aromatics. Browning the lean ground beef thoroughly at medium-high heat develops Maillard compounds, which provide the savory backbone required to balance the sweetness of brown sugar.
- Bake the assembled halves covered in foil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes to cook through without burning the exterior.
- Remove the foil for the final five minutes of baking to allow the shredded cheddar cheese to melt and brown slightly.
- Drain any pooling liquid from the baking dish halfway through the cooking process if the squash releases excessive water.
- Substitute long-grain white rice with an equal measure of quinoa using a 1:2 grain-to-water ratio if preferred.
