Round courgettes stuffed with creamy goat cheese: the easy recipe

Vegetal elegance on the plate

As soon as the sunny days appear, market stalls are adorned with shades of green. Among this abundance of sun-drenched vegetables, the round zucchini (often from Nice) stands out. Visually very attractive, it has the gift of transforming a rustic dish into a presentation worthy of a beautiful Sunday table.

Unlike its elongated cousin, which often ends up sliced in a pan-fried dish, the round zucchini is a real natural edible bowl. Its generous shape and slightly firmer flesh allow it to withstand long oven cooking without collapsing. It's the ideal container for creative fillings. Gone is the traditional and sometimes heavy minced beef; we want lightness, freshness and flavors that burst in the mouth.

Creamy goat cheese: the magic ingredient

The secret to a successful stuffed vegetable always lies in the balance of textures. Zucchini brings vegetal sweetness and a high water content, so this must be counterbalanced with creaminess and character. This is exactly where goat cheese comes in.

Step-by-step recipe: simplicity and anti-waste

Preparation is child's play and is part of a real anti-waste approach, as we will use the entire vegetable.

1. The art of hollowing out

Start by carefully washing your round zucchinis. Cut off the top "hat" (keep it carefully) and use a Parisian spoon or a simple teaspoon. Gently hollow out the inside, taking care to leave about half a centimeter of flesh on the walls so that the vegetable retains its shape. Do not throw away the removed flesh!

2. The melting filling

Roughly chop the recovered pulp. In a pan with a generous drizzle of olive oil, sauté a small minced new onion and a minced garlic clove. Add the zucchini pulp and let the water evaporate over medium heat for about ten minutes. Off the heat, add your creamy goat cheese, a handful of toasted pine nuts (for crunch), a few fresh basil or thyme leaves, salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix well: the cheese will melt gently on contact with the hot pulp.

3. Baking in the oven

Generously fill your hollowed-out zucchinis with this mixture. Replace their pretty hats to prevent the filling from drying out, place them in an ovenproof dish with a little water at the bottom, and bake at 180°C for 40 to 45 minutes. The skin should be tender when pricked with a knife.

How to accompany this vegetarian delight?

This dish is almost self-sufficient thanks to the richness of the cheese and the generosity of the vegetable. However, to make it a perfectly balanced meal, you can opt for cereals. A mint-flavored bulgur, quinoa or wild basmati rice will go wonderfully with the cooking juice of your little green spheres.

If the outdoor temperature rises, a simple salad of young spinach shoots seasoned with a light lemon and olive oil vinaigrette will provide the ideal refreshing touch to cleanse the palate.

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