Sunflower Seed Pâté Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Mint Zucchini Sauce
August 12th, 2008 | by Ingrid | Posted in Main | Entree
I took this opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do with zucchini – make boats. If you have kids arm them with a melon baller or a spoon and some direction, I bet they would love to help make these. The rest of the recipe can be made in a flesh with a food processor.
I used Mexican squash also called Tatuma Squash, though any type of summer squash would be wonderful.
The paté and sauce share are speckled with fresh mint and parsley and garlic intermingles with the other flavors. This paté is one of many types of filling you can use. Let your taste dictate what filling you prefer. The sauce is an extension of the zucchini made from the scooped out zucchini flesh, nothing goes to waste here.
You can enjoy these two ways – fresh or dehydrated. It got good reviews both ways from me and my tough panel of taste testers. Dehydrating them for about 3-4 hours makes the top layer of the paté ever so slightly crisp. It is also nice if you want to serve them warm.
These zucchini boats are light yet filling. One or two served accompanied with the mint zucchini sauce makes a light yet filling lunch or dinner meal. It would make a nice hors d’oeuvre cut into 1-inch pieces and arrange on a serving platter.
Sunflower Seed Paté Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Mint Zucchini Sauce
I prefer to use sunflower seeds for its lightness combined with pine nuts for its richness to make the paté. I think it compliments the delicate flavors in this savory dish. If you’d like a nut base version of this paté feel free to use almonds, hazel nuts, or walnut.
Zucchini Boats
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4 small organic zucchinis, about 4-5 inches long
Wash and slice off the top and bottom ends of each zucchini. Stand the zucchini upright on a cutting board and cut it evenly down the center with a knife. Repeat until you have cut all the zucchinis in half.
Using a melon baller or a spoon, take a half zucchini and scoop out the center to make it hollow. Be careful not to scoop down too deep, you do not want to make a hole in your boat. Continue until all the zucchini halves are hollowed. Reserve the zucchini flesh to make Mint Zucchini Sauce – see recipe below. Set the zucchini boats aside.
Sunflower Seed Paté
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½ cup raw sunflower seeds, soak and rinse
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup fresh mint
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves
1 green onion, white part only
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined. You may need to scrap down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula then continue processing until well combined.
Assemble
Scoop a heaping tablespoon paté into it a zucchini boat. Use your fingers to mold the paté into the boat, add more paté if needed. Be sure to completely fill the boast and spread the paté until smooth. Repeat this step with each zucchini boat. Serve with mint zucchini sauce – see recipe below.
Minted Zucchini Sauce
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1 cup reserved zucchini pulp
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh mint
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley
1 garlic cloves
1 green onion, white part only
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined. Pour the sauce into a bowl and serve.
This recipe can be made ahead. Refrigerate up to 1 day. Stir before serving; bring to room temperature, if desired.
Serves 4
