Stuffed Jalapenos wrapped in zucchini
I made jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, and wrapped in bacon the other day. They were absolutely delicious. But I am trying to reduce my consumption of meat, so I decided to try to make a vegetarian version. I am not a fan of imitation meat, so I brainstormed for vegetarian ingredients that would bring a savory, salty, and crispiness to the appetizer. The recipe I came up with was kind of made up as I went along, but I think it is good enough to share. The following recipe differs from the picture, because I incorporated the changes I will use in future batches. I found that the Parmesan cheese did not add enough flavor alone, and the sauteed tomatoes added nothing to the flavor. Some ideas I have for alternatives to the caramelized garlic are slivers of sauteed portobello mushrooms, and sun dried tomatoes.
Ingredients:
Medium jalapenos (~2 per person) Cream cheese (8 oz should be enough for 10+ jalapenos)(I used flavored cream cheese) Medium zucchini (One long enough to wrap around half of a jalapeno a couple of times, and has a small to medium diameter.)(One medium zucchini will wrap ~4 jalapenos) Small amount of Soy sauce Small amount of olive oil Garlic cloves (2 per jalapeno) Parmesan cheese (A large pinch of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for each jalapeno half)
Directions:
Jalapenos: 1. Cut the jalapenos lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Make sure both haves have some stem. If you want the jalapenos to be spicy, leave the ribs in. Remove the ribs to have a mild jalapenos. 2. Boil jalapenos for 4 minutes. After boiling drain the jalapenos, and rinse under cold water. Don't breath the steam! It is spicy! 3. Pat dry the jalapenos and fill with cream cheese. I used the garden, and onion & chive flavored cream cheeses. 4. Set aside.
Zucchini: 1. Cut a thin slice off the long side of the zucchini, so it doesn't role around. 2. Cut thin slices of the zucchini lengthwise. 3. Brush a thin coat of soy sauce onto both sides of the zucchini slices. There should only be a hint of discoloration. The goal is to not make the zucchini taste like soy sauce, but to introduce glutamates that add a savoriness to the appetizer. Let marinate for a few minutes. 4. Gently cook the zucchini slices until they are tender and flexible enough to wrap around a jalapeno half. For a small batch, one could get away with sauteing on a low heat, using olive oil. For larger batches, baking the slices will be the way to go; brush olive oil on both sides and bake at 350 degrees until tender. Remember to flip the slices, so both side are flexible enough. 5. Set aside and let cool.
Extras: 1. Peal garlic cloves, and cut the cloves in half lengthwise. 2. Saute the garlic on a low heat, so the garlic will caramelize instead of frying or charring. 3. Set aside finished garlic 4. Shred the Parmesan and set aside.
Assembly: 1. Place 2 slices of the garlic on the cream cheese in each of the jalapenos. 2. Wrap the jalapeno half in the cooked zucchini, securing with a tooth pick. 3. Place evenly spaced on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet. 4. Place in a 350 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes. 5. Put a large pinch of Parmesan cheese on each jalapeno half after ~35 minutes. 6. After baking, broil the stuffed jalapenos until the Parmesan cheese is golden brown, and there is a hint of charring on the jalapeno and zucchini. 7. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. 8. Remove tooth picks and cool in the refrigerator or freezer, so the cream cheese sets ups.
Put it in your face! You wont regret it.
Submitted May 29, 2015 at 02:13AM by bucon http://ift.tt/1LNM1Dq vegetarian
