|
Baking Corner
| Regional
Foods | Cooking
Articles
|
Hints & Tips
| Culinary
Dictionary
|
Newspaper
Columns
Recipe from the cookbook, The Squash Cookbook, by Yvonne Young Tarr.
When zucchini are very small, a mere 3 to 4 inches and barely thicker
through than your thumb, there is no finer treat to be found in the
vegetable world. these young squash gracefully transform a variety of
dishes to which their older, and larger, relatives dare not aspire.
Click here to find out about
Squash Hints,
Tips, and Information, and here for more
Squash Recipes.
Appetizer Recipes
for more great appetizer ideas.
Cheese-Filled
Zucchini Appetizer Recipe
Recipe Type:
Appetizer,
Squash ,
Vegetables
Yields: 6 servings
Prep time: 20 min
Ingredients:
6 very small zucchini squash, halved lengthwise
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Paprika, curry powder, or minced herbs
Minced chives
Preparation:
 Plunge zucchini squash halves into boiling salted
water. Immediately remove pot from stove and let stand 8 minutes. Drain,
then freshen in cold running water. Drain well and place cut side down
on paper towels.
With a small spoon, carefully scoop out
the centers to form small zucchini "boats" with 1/3-inch thick walls.
Blot the cut sides with paper towels and place upside down to drain.
Blend the cream cheese, butter, sour
cream, and mayonnaise. If the filling is too moist to hold its shape
when forced through a pastry tube nozzle, blend in a little more cream
cheese. Force the filling through a fluted nozzle of a pastry tube into
the cavities of the zucchini "boats." Refrigerate.
Before serving, cut the boats in half
lengthwise to form a slender, cheese-filled zucchini "finger." To serve
plain, sprinkle with paprika, curry powder, minced fresh herbs, or
chives (your choice).
Makes 6 servings.
VARIATIONS:
Egg and Anchovy:
Flavor the cream cheese filling with 2 teaspoons anchovy paste. Garnish
with sieved egg yolk.
Blue Cheese and
Pecan: Flavor the cream cheese with 3 tablespoons
softened blue cheese. Garnish with finely chopped pecans.
Shrimp and Dill:
Decorate each "finger" with 3 or 4 tiny cooked shrimp. Garnish with
minced dill.
Egg and Olive:
Decorate each zucchini "finger" with 3 thin slices pimiento-stuffed
olive. Garnish with sieved egg yolk.
Pimiento and
Caper: Decorate each zucchini "finger" with thin
pimiento strips alternated with capers. Garnish with minced chives.
| 