Zucchini Stuffed with Chickpeas & CousCous

I can’t wait to try these! I’ll be making them this week, hopefully with Steaks!! I’ve been dying to try the Filet with Rosemary & Mushroom Gravy. We didn’t buy Filets but we did use strip steak and it was real yummy!!

Ingredients

6 small zucchini (6-7 inches long), halved lengthwise
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, very thinly sliced into rings
2 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of saffron
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
3/4 cup Israeli couscous
2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of water onto sheet; set aside. (now no judging my dirty baking pan!)

Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut in half legnth wise.

Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out pulp from center of each zucchini, leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell.

Transfer pulp to a kitchen towel, and squeeze out excess liquid. Coarsely chop pulp; set aside. Sprinkle zucchini shells with 1 tsp. salt. Place shells, cut side down, on paper towels to drain.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil then add shallot, ginger, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt, the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and saffron. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add zucchini pulp and chickpeas; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. (I didn’t have jalapeno’s so I skipped that ingredient. I also skipped the chickpeas because I had such small zucchini’s and I thought it would be too much, I’m going to try it again this summer when I get huge fresh zucchini’s from my aunts garden!!)

Stir in 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Add couscous, and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has absorbed and couscous is tender, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season with salt if desired.