Mediterranean Inspired Beef and Rice stuffed Zucchini

This dish was an attempt to recreate Middle Eastern inspired flavors in my kitchen that pretty much lacks typical spices/flavors/ingredients for that type of cuisine.  But really if you just throw some hummus on top, that counts, right?  I kid, I kid.  But it certainly doesn't hurt. 

The inspiration for this meal was to use the ground beef in my freezer.  Add some rice, veggies, and the right spicing, and you've got yourself a meal! 

Ingredients: ground beef (1 lb), 1 large zucchini, 1/4 white onion chopped, 1/2 lb mushrooms chopped, 1 can tomato paste, basmati rice, cumin, coriander, salt/pepper, toast/hummus/asiago cheese garnish

Begin by browning your beef.  While cooking, prepare the zucchini.  I cut the zucchini in half, halved it lengthwise again, and used a melon baller to scoop out the insides.  Save the insides for the stew and the outer portions for the presentation.

As the beef is browning, add the chopped mushrooms and onions to cook in the heat and fat from the meat. 

Once the meat is browned and the veggies are tender, add the zucchini innards (they'll take less time to cook than the onions/mushrooms).  Cook another minute or two then add the can of tomato paste and your spices.  Add spices to your desired tastes.  And if you're lacking tomato paste, I'm sure you could use tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes instead.  This just gives a stronger flavor.  Once everything is mixed, I put the zucchini boats on top of the beef stew to cook them a little too. 

I put a lid over the skillet and let everything steam for about 15 minutes.  The flavors melded and the zucchini softened.  To begin arranging the meal I started with some toasted sourdough bread.  You could use pita, lavash, whatever you have.  The bread was just a means to sop up extra stewy goodness.  I put two zucchini boats on the plate and filled them with the cooked basmati rice. 

I then covered the zucchini + rice mixture with the beef.  I garnished with some hummus and freshly grated asiago cheese.  A bizarre combination, yes.  Perhaps we should call this a fusion dish.  Anyway, garnish with whatever you'd like...fresh herbs, cheese, yogurt sauce, or nothing at all. 

So you could just as easily serve this without the zucchini boats and just have larger chunks of zucchini cooked in with the beef.  Serve it all over rice.  Or throw together some pita sandwiches with some beef stew, rice, hummus, fresh lettuce and cucumber?  Feel free to go to town with this one.