Greek Stuffed Courgettes with Avgolemono Sauce ©

This is an all time favorite of mine, taught to me by dear Varvara, shades of different times, elegant lunches, different generations….

 

Easy

6 Persons

Ingredients

10-12 Medium Sized Courgettes

Stuffing

1/2 kilo good mince meat

2-3  finely grated onion

1 tbs each of chopped parsley, mint, basil.

1 cup olive oil

3-4 tbs patna rice ( the pearly kind) or basmati

Salt and Pepper

A little flour to dip and seal ‘stoppers.’

 

Cooking Liquor

300 ml or more of Chicken stock

1/2 lemon juice

50g butter

Salt pepper

 

Garnish

parsley leaves

 

Avgolemono Sauce

2 egg yolks

2 tsp corn flour

1. 1/2 juice of lemon

the stock from the boiling of the courgettes

2 tbs cream optional

Method

1. Important : Choose nice medium sized courgettes. About 12 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter. This means they are thin and elegant , but thick enough to core, with out breaking the sides.

2. Wash and lightly scrape outside skins with a serrated knife, if at all bruised. Cut off stalk  and cut second slice 1 cm in. Keep this as a stopper for later.

3. Using a potato peeler, or special corer, remove the inside pulp of the courgette carefully, so as not the damage the out side. This is not difficult, just requires a little patience.  Discard pulp.

4. Mix together ingredients for stuffing, and stuff courgettes, using the handle of a tea-spoon to push stuffing down into courgette.Tap courgette on chopping board to help the stuffing go to the bottom. Leave a little space at the top, as stuffing will expand and stop with reserved stopper.

5. Lay courgettes down in saucepan and cover with chicken stock until the stock comes half way up the courgettes. Add the butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper.

6. Bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on, for 3/4 hr. Test with tip of the knife, they should be soft when cooked, if not leave a little longer.

7. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and arrange down center of serving dish. You can also pile a few on top.

8. Sieve the stock which the courgettes have been boiling in into clean saucepan. Beat egg yolks together with lemon juice and corn flour  in a separate bowl, using a fork and add two table spoons of sieved stock. Now return this to the rest of the stock and GENTLY heat until the sauce thickens. Do NOT allow to boil, as eggs will curdle. Taste, for seasoning and lemon.The sauce should be nice and tasty and lemony. Add a dash of cream, just before serving.

9. Pour over courgettes just before serving and decorate with parsley.

Just delicious!

N.B. Varvara always says, “Opou beni voutiro kai krema galaktos, panda to veltioni.”  “When ever cream and butter are added, the recipe always improves!”

 

 

This is the ideal size for stuffing. The old style potato peeler is perfect for removing the inside pulp.

Scrape outer skin with serrated knife.

Trim both ends, peel onions and leave to soak in water for a few minutes.

Turn the pointed peeler round and round, slowly removing the pulp. Do this slowly and carefully so they don’t split.

Lay in saucepan and stuff one by one.

Put the ingredients for the  stuffing  into a bowl and mix together. Here you can see the pearly rice required.

Stuffing ready and mixed.

Stuff courgettes with the help of the handle of a teaspoon. Leave a little space at the top, as rice will swell.

Dip stoppers in flour and seal.

Lay courgettes down in saucepan and half cover with stock, butter, lemon juice and seasoning.

Once courgettes are cooked, 3/4 hr or more, test with the sharp point of a knife.The courgettes  should be soft.

Remove courgettes carefully with a slotted spoon onto a warm serving dish and  sieve the liquor they have been boiling in, into a clean saucepan.

Beat up egg yolks together with lemon juice and corn flour and add 2 tbs of stock. Then return this to your

sauce pan of stock. Heat very gently, stirring all the time, until thickened. Do not allow to boil, or eggs will

curdle.

Taste for seasoning and lemon.

Egg and Lemon Sauce> Avgolemono. Delicious…..

Final Result!