Come spring, what could be better than zucchini stuffed with asparagus? To serve 4:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 zucchini, weighing about 1 1/8 pounds (500 g) in all
- 1 1/8 pounds (500 g) fresh asparagus
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (100 ml) milk
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (60 g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano
- Flour
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt
Preparation:
While you are heating the water in your steamer, trim the tips of the zucchini and wash them. Cut the asparagus spears where the stems become white (discard the white sections) and gently tie the tips into a bunch. Arrange the vegetables in the steamer basket and steam them for about 15 minutes, then remove them and untie the asparagus. While the asparagus are cooling, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the pulp so as to obtain canoes. Let them cool upside down. When the zucchini are quite dry dust their interiors with grated cheese and just a touch of nutmeg, and place the canoes in a buttered baking dish.
Preheat your oven to 440 F (220 C).
Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces and sauté them in 2 tablespoons of butter for a few minutes, seasoning them lightly with nutmeg. When they are done put them in the zucchini. Using the milk, a tablespoon of butter, and one of flour, make a béchamel sauce. Salt it, incorporate the remaining cheese, and pour it into the zucchini. Dust the zucchini with a little more cheese, dot them with the remaining butter, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until they are nicely browned. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 servings zucchini stuffed with asparagus.
Preheat your oven to 440 F (220 C).
Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces and sauté them in 2 tablespoons of butter for a few minutes, seasoning them lightly with nutmeg. When they are done put them in the zucchini. Using the milk, a tablespoon of butter, and one of flour, make a béchamel sauce. Salt it, incorporate the remaining cheese, and pour it into the zucchini. Dust the zucchini with a little more cheese, dot them with the remaining butter, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until they are nicely browned. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 servings zucchini stuffed with asparagus.
