Zucchini stuffed with ratatouille and chicken tenderloin.

How to prepare some stuffed zucchini . Among all the vegetables there is one that I especially love,  zucchini . Even more so if they are from my parents’ garden and are of an acceptable size. Although every year I have to tell my mother not to let them grow as much because then they are very hollow and lose flavor. For this recipe you will need to buy them a little larger than the standard size of a supermarket, since we are going to fill them.

We all know that most recipes with greens and vegetables help us to have better health. In zucchini we find potassium, a high proportion of water and a high fiber content. It has a great diuretic value and facilitates bowel movements. To obtain the greatest number of benefits, we must choose to cook them with papillote, iron, steam or oven. These methods will more effectively preserve nutrients.

In this recipe we mix seasonal ingredients that we can find in any supermarket. We also add a different touch, a ratatouille full of flavor with wine as the protagonist. A mencía broth from Ribeira Sacra that stains the dish with color. To give it some protein, we top it with chicken fillets marinated in soy and honey. It is tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

If you like this type of meat cut to accompany your dishes. You can find a lot of sirloin recipes that are sure to succeed at home. A dish that is a great set, a recipe of ten points Cheer up!

Preparation of zucchini in the micro

Cooking with the microwave is very simple, food can be steamed without adding a drop of water, because it is produced from the water they have inside, that is, their constitution water. In the case of zucchini I assure you that they are fantastic, with the exact point to finish them on the Le Creuset grill.

1. We chose chubby zucchini that we will cut widthwise in more or less equal cylinders of about 10 cm in size. We put them in a suitable container for the microwave and cook them for 12 minutes at maximum power. It is important to cook them very well covered but never hermetically since the lids would jump or melt. Easy and simple. We take the zucchini out of the micro and let them temper.
2. Once lukewarm, with the help of a teaspoon we remove the pulp from the inside leaving only the meat near the zucchini wall. We reserve the ingredients for the rest of the recipe.

Preparation of the red wine ratatouille

To prepare a good ratatouille we need some good ingredients from the garden: a little garlic, tomatoes, onions, leeks, peppers and also the pulp that we have removed from the zucchini. The most important thing for it to be successful is the cooking order: first the garlic and onions, then the peppers, the zucchini and finally the tomatoes.

1. We wash the vegetables very well. We chop everything into blocks of similar size. Add a good extra virgin olive oil to the casserole and fry the garlic, leek, onions and peppers over low heat, until golden. It will take 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini pulp about 5 minutes without letting the onion and peppers burn. We rectify salt and pepper and reduce it a bit.
3. We blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin and cut them into cubes. We remove everything gently and add the tomatoes, the mencía wine, the chopped oregano, ground cumin and some basil leaves.
4. Let it cook for 15 more minutes until it reduces and add a tablespoon of sugar to correct the acidity that the tomato gives.
5. We remove from the fire and reserve for the final assembly.

Preparing the ingredients on the grill

We have to marinate the chicken the day before preparing the recipe. You can use turkey, chicken, pork, veal … whatever you like, although the lean chicken is perfect for this recipe.

1. To marinate I have used 2 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of La Vera paprika, salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of ground cumin.
2. We mix everything very well in a container that we can cover, in this way we will make the chicken catch all the flavor. It is important that we cover it because we are going to put it in the fridge. This way we avoid taking odors from other foods. We leave the chicken in the fridge for at least 5 hours, I like that it stays overnight.
3. We heat the grill over medium heat since it will keep the heat very well. Thus we will control the temperature without problem.
4. Once it is hot, we pass the surface of the zucchini and the chicken at the same time on the grill. The zucchini 3 minutes on each side and the chicken round and round, 2 minutes on each side. We reserve for assembly.
5. We place two or three zucchini on a plate with a layer of ratatouille inside. Top with 3 strips of chicken. We can serve with a little grated cheese or a little of the same ratatouille passed by the pastry. Simply delicious. I hope you like it.

I encourage you to visit more recipes for  delicious tapas, snacks and pinchos for an unforgettable evening with yours. Perfect for a light dinner, a party or, yes, a delicious way to share food with friends and the people you love.