Recipe: Grilled Zucchini with Blackberry Compote

12 zucchini

Ingredients for stuffing:

1 cup red quinoa

1 cup yellow quinoa

2 cups water

1 onion, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 apples, finely diced

2⁄3 cup dried cherries, chopped

2⁄3 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1⁄3 cup dark maple syrup

1⁄2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

Ingredients for compote:

1 white onion, thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup raw sugar

2 pints blackberries

1⁄3 cup balsamic vinegar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

Preparation for stuffing:

1. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent.

2. Add red and yellow quinoa and water, and cook covered until water is absorbed. Allow to cool.

3. Sauté carrots and celery until soft, then combine with quinoa mixture. Allow to cool.

4. Mix in apples, cherries, nuts, spices, salt, pepper and dark maple syrup.

Preparation for compote:

5. Sauté onion until caramelized.

6. Coat blackberries with sugar and add to the onions. Cook over medium heat until berries begin to break down, approximately seven minutes.

7. Add vinegar and reduce for two minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

8. Blend until smooth, and adjust consistency by adding water if needed. The compote should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Preparation for zucchini:

9. Thinly slice lengthwise and grill zucchini, then allow to cool.

10. Once cool, arrange the pieces lengthwise vertically on a piece of plastic wrap, allowing zucchini slices to overlap slightly. This should create a uniform rectangle of grilled zucchini slices using approximately 10–12 slices.

11. Place filling in a horizontal fashion, about two inches from the edge of the roll closest to you, an inch from either end. Starting from the edge closest to you, begin to roll the zucchini around the filling being sure to not roll the plastic wrap inside. When done wrapping, tightly twist ends of plastic wrap and tie it to ensure roll keeps its shape. Slice into two-inch pieces and remove plastic wrap.

12. Arrange three pieces of zucchini around the edges of the plate, and spoon compote onto the zucchini and the plate.

Makes 8–10 servings, 200 calories, 8 grams of fat

 

More in Wellness