West Indies Savory Stuffed Summer Squash

This recipe is from the St. Croix Source newspaper, February 2003. I plan to try it as new summer squash come to the Seattle Farmers Markets.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6  small zucchini
• 6  small  crookneck yellow squash
•  salt
• 1  tomatoes, sliced
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 1  cup water
• 1  lemon, juice of, plus
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  teaspoon  crushed dried mint

• Filling

• 3⁄4 lb lean ground beef or 3⁄4 lb turkey
• 1⁄3 cup cooked white rice
• 1⁄2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1  tablespoon  finely chopped parsley
• 1  tablespoon raisins
•  salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions

1. To prepare the squash: Wash the squash well.
2. Sprinkle them with salt and let drain for 1/2 hour; this will soften them. Rinse the salt off and dry. Using a narrow apple corer, make a hole at the stem end of each squash and scoop out the pulp, being careful not to break the skin. The other end must remain closed.
3. To make the filling: Put all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Stir until well blended.
4. To stuff squash: Fill each squash half-full of the filling. Lay a few thin slices of tomato in the bottom of a large, deep baking dish. Place the stuffed squash side-by-side in layers on top of the tomatoes.
5. In a small saucepan, mix the tomato paste with 1 cup water and juice from one lemon. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the tomato sauce over the squash. Cover the saucepan and simmer gently for 1 hour or until squash are soft and filling is cooked. Add more water if necessary.
6. Crush the garlic cloves with a little salt. Mix with the mint and juice from half a fresh lemon. Sprinkle this mixture over the squash and continue cooking a few minutes longer.