Recipe - Middle Eastern Lamb-Stuffed Zucchini With Yogurt Sauce

4 6ounce straight zucchini;
scrubbed
1 tablespoon Olive oil
One half pound Ground lamb
1 teaspoon Allspice
1 teaspoon Crumbled dried mint
1 cup Chopped onion
1 Garlic clove; minced
2 tablespoon Pine nuts; toasted lightly
1 cup Plain yogurt
2 tablespoon Cornstarch; dissolved in 2
tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds; toasted
lightly

Cut off and reserve the stem ends of the zucchini and with a zucchini corer
hollow out the zucchini, being careful not to pierce the skins and leaving
1/4inchthick shells. Chop the zucchini flesh and reserve it.

In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot
but not smoking and in it sauté the lamb with the allspice, the mint, salt
and pepper to taste, stirring, until it is no longer pink. Transfer the
lamb with a slotted spoon to a sieve to drain, pour off all but 1
tablespoon of the fat from the skillet, and in the skillet sauté the onion,
stirring, until it is softened. Stir in the garlic, the reserved zucchini
flesh, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté the mixture until it is
golden. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the lamb mixture, the
pine nuts, and 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, and let the filling cool. Stuff
the zucchini with the filling and put the reserved stem ends back in place
over the cut ends, securing them with wooden picks. Arrange the zucchini on
a steamer rack set over simmering water, steam them, covered, for 20 to 25
minutes, or until they are tender, and let them cool slightly.

In the top of a doubleboiler set over simmering water whisk together the
remaining yogurt and the cornstarch mixture, stirred, cook the sauce,
stirring, for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened, and let it cool
slightly.

Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1inch rounds, arrange the rounds on a
platter, and spoon a dollop of the sauce onto each round. Sprinkle the
zucchini rounds with the sesame seeds and serve them at room temperature.

Makes about 24 hors d'oeuvres

Gourmet September 1992

Posted to recipeludigest by Sandy sandysno@pctech.net on Mar 16, 1998