What's on the Grill #252: Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

How do you get a finicky eater to eat vegetables?  Simple, stuff them full of pork fat.  Although I love zucchini, I'm fairly confident I could woo over a zucchini-phobe.  Dad, I'm talking to you.

With harvest season approaching, zucchini are in abundance.  So, when you are tired of grilling, sautéing, or steaming zucchini, stuff them.  Grilling food in boats, pockets, or vessels is easy and always good…even for finicky eaters.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini with Roasted Red Pepper Puree
Adapted from Weber's Time to Grill 

Puree

1 pound of tomatoes
1 small onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 small bell peppers, 1 red and 1 yellow
2 tbls basil, finely chopped
2 tbls oregano, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tbls red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium zucchini, each one cut in half lengthwise
1 pound bulk sausage
1 cup Romano cheese
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

Prep the grill for indirect medium.

Grill the tomatoes, onions, and peppers until the tomatoes and onions are soft and the peppers are blackened.  Turn the vegetables every few minutes to ensure even cooking.  The tomatoes and onions will be done first, followed by the peppers.  When the peppers are done, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  This allows the peppers to steam and makes the burnt skin easier to remove.

Once all of the vegetables have cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and cut the stems from the tomatoes.  Peel, core, and seed the peppers.  Add the tomatoes, onions, and peppers to a food processor, along with the basil, oregano, garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Pulse the mixture until relatively smooth.  Next, with the processor running, slowly add the olive oil.

Place the pureed mixture in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Warm until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Place the zucchini on a board, cut side up.  Take a knife and cut the the flesh about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the end of the skin, along the top side of the zucchini.

Next, scoop out the flesh, being careful not to "scoop" although the way through the bottom of the vegetable.

When done, you should have zucchini "boats" with roughly uniform thick walls.  Pitch, or repurpose, the extruded zucchini.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sausage, cheese, bread crumbs, and 1/2 cup of the puree.  

Once incorporated, divide the mixture between the zucchini boats.

Take the loaded boats outside and grill over direct medium heat until the sausage is cooked, about 15 minus, or 165 F.

Once finished, serve with the remaining puree.

There you have it.  The next time someone holds their nose up at zucchini, grab some sausage and get grilling.  Your vegetable challenged dinner guest will never doubt the boat filling power of pork fat again!

What's the last thing you "stuffed" or "filled" on the grill? Any favorites?