A light summer meal with lots of flavor and texture.
- 1/2 cup uncooked rice
- 3 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped sautéing greens like spinach, chard, or bok choy
- 3 sprigs fresh herbs
- 1 generous squeeze of lemon to taste
- 1/2 cup grated cheese, in 2 1/4-cup portions
- 3 large or 10 small summer squash
- 1/2 pound chopped mushrooms or 1/2 pound ground meat
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cook rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, prepare the stuffing. In a pan, on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Sauté mushrooms until they lose most of their water, about 5-8 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until the shallot is translucent 2-4 minutes. Add the chopped greens until they wilt, 2-5 minutes. Add fresh herbs and sauté until you can smell their fragrance, 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add lemon, cooked rice, salt, and pepper to taste. Let the mixture cool a bit before adding the egg and 1/4 cup of cheese.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and prep squash. Slice round squash from side to side or long squash from top to bottom. Remove the seeds, salt, and coat with 1 tablespoon of butter. Stuff the squash with mixture. Top with 1/4 cup of cheese and bake until the squash is tender to the touch.
