Zucchini flowers stuffed with rice and herbs
Ingredients
12 zucchini flowers
2 large ripe tomatoes
¾ cup short grain rice, washed
1 small onion, grated
½ cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup finely chopped mint
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sugar
½ cup of water
Method
- Heat oven to 180C
- Make a small cross at the top of each tomato and immerse in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and peel off skin
- Chop into large pieces using a small blender, pulse to make fresh tomato puree. Add the sugar and stir
- To prepare zucchini flowers, remove the inside of the flower and check for any insects (you should not need to wash them as the water might soften the flowers)
- In a bowl, add the rice, grated onion, parsley, mint, ½ the olive oil and 1/3 of the tomato puree
- Season with salt and pepper and mix well
- Fill each flower ¾ full with the rice mixture and gently twist the top of the petals to keep rice inside
- Arrange in a baking dish
- In a small bowl add the remaining tomato puree and extra olive oil and season with salt and pepper
- Pour this over the zucchinis and add the water.Cover with foil, bake for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake for a further 15 minutes or until browned
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
