Greek Stuffed Vegetables with Rice (Yemista me Ryzi)

This is an amazing recipe for making something new and different with all of that fresh produce coming out of the garden.  You are getting such a wide variety of fresh vegetables, all kinds of good for your body vitamins and minerals, and is something different from the standard sauteing that I tend to do as a default.

1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 pound zucchini, grated
2 medium carrots, grated
½ eggplant, peeled and grated
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 firm tomatoes
4 medium zucchini
4 small eggplants
4 peppers (green bell, Cubanelle, or Anaheim)
1½ cups long grain rice
1 tablespoon Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
about 1/4 cup toasted breadcrumbs

Sharp knife/cutting board.
Cheese grater.
spoon
sauté pan
bowl
Roasting pan.

Chop the onion and parsley.

Grate the zucchini, carrots, and eggplant.

 

Wash the vegetables carefully and dry. With a paring knife, cut the caps off the tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, and both ends off the zucchini and set aside. With a spoon, scoop out the pulp and seeds from the eggplant, zucchini, and peppers, and discard. Scoop out the tomato pulp, chop well, and set aside. When scooping out the vegetables, leave a thin shell, about ¼ inch.  Lightly salt the interior of all vegetables.

In the sauté pan, heat ½ cup of olive oil and sauté the onion for about 2-3 minutes. Add grated zucchini, eggplant, and carrots, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the tomato pulp and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes, and put in a bowl. Add the rice, salt, and pepper, and mix well with a spoon until blended.

With a spoon, fill vegetables loosely with the rice mixture, place in a roasting pan packed closely but not squashed, with the reserved caps of the vegetables covering the tops and ends. Place tomatoes (and small bell peppers if used) upright, lie the others on their sides. Pour ½ cup olive oil and ½ cup water over the top, sprinkle the tops of the upright vegetables with toasted breadcrumbs, and bake at 450° degrees F (230° degrees C) for 1 hour. Halfway through, turn the vegetables that are placed on their sides.

serves 6

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No cholesterol High in dietary fiber Very high in vitamin A Very high in vitamin C
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In Greek: γεμιστά με ρύζι, pronounced yeh-mee-STAH meh REE-zee

If the vegetables start to get too brown before cooking time is up, cover with foil.

I would love to hear any feedback about this recipe. Did you make it? Did you enjoy it? Did you make any adjustments to it?

Hallee

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