STUFFED ZUCCHINI AVGOLEMONO, GREEK WAY

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the zucchini and cut off the stem end. Carefully cut off a slice from the other end to use later as a cap. With a grapefruit spoon or melon baller hollow out the zucchini and chop the flesh.
• 2. To make the stuffing warm ½ the olive oil in a deep frying pan and toss in the onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the finely chopped flesh of the zucchini and stir fry them for another 2-3 minutes. Finally add the minced meat and let it cook completely - (meat no longer pink). Add the rice, parsley, half of the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
• 3. Stuff the zucchini up to ¾. Do not fill them completely so the stuffing will have room to expand while cooking. Cover with the slice you cut off earlier to use as cap. Arrange them side by side in a deep saucepan and if you want fill in the gaps with the potato wedges. That's a trick I learned when my kids were young and weren't too keen on eating zucchini. So I had to find a way to intrigue them:) The deal was with every potato wedge they had to have half a stuffed zucchini. It worked so well they both love zucchini, any how it's cooked:)
• 4. Sprinkle with the remaining olive oil and add enough water to cover the zucchini just above their middle. Season to taste. Put the lid on, bring to the boil and then simmer over medium heat for about 30min until the rice has cooked and if using potatoes, til those are tender. Turn off the heat (if overcooked, the zucchini will become too soft and the rice sticky).
• 5. To make the Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon) sauce: Whisk the eggs (both whites & yolks) and then add remaining lemon juice, a little at a time, while still whisking. Slowly add a couple of ladlesful warm cooking liquid to the egg mixture. Pour the sauce over the food. Holding the casserole by its handles, shake it gently from side to side. If necessary reheat very slowly without covering or boiling. Serve immediately. Enjoy! Kali Orexi!
• 6. Tip: If you want to thicken the sauce, in a small bowl mix a couple of Tbps of cornstartch with a some water or cooled liquid from the pot. Mix well and add to the pot and then gently shake the post from side to side.