Ingredients
1 cup Long grain white rice
2 cups Vegetable broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp granulated onion
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn
2 cups Cache Valley® Four cheese Mexican Blend, divided
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 Yellow onion, julienne
4 medium zucchini, washed well.
Step one
Rinse your rice until the water runs mostly clear. In a rice cooker, combine the rice, vegetable broth, tomato paste, spices, and corn, and cook on the white rice setting. If following the stovetop cooking method, combine the broth, tomato paste, and spices in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then add the rice and corn, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is soft and most of the water is absorbed.
Step 2
Heat a skillet to medium heat and lightly oil. Add the sliced onion and pepper and a small pinch of salt, and cook over medium heat until the peppers are soft and the onions start to turn translucent. Remove from the heat.
Step 3
Slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise, leaving the stem attached (it helps maintain the structural integrity during cooking). Using a small spoon, scoop out the centers of the zucchini until the flesh is only 1/4 inch thick, reserving the inner flesh for other recipes (zucchini bread, for instance). Arrange the zucchini boats side by side on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 4
When the rice is done, remove it immediately from the pan, and stir in 1 cup of the cheese until it is mostly melted and well mixed.
Heat the oven to the Broil setting. Move the oven rack to just above the center of the oven, so about 6 inches from the top of the oven.
Step 5
Spoon the rice mixture into the zucchini boats, keeping the filling even with the top of the zucchini, and make sure the zucchini’s are arranged side by side. Spread the cooked onions and peppers evenly over each zucchini, and then spread the remaining cheese over the onions and peppers.
Step 6
Place the pan on the oven rack and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the cheese starts to crisp and the onions and peppers begin to char.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. The cheese may have melted all the zucchini’s together, so use kitchen shears to cut the cheese between them before serving.
Notes:
These are eaten easiest by picking them up and taking bites - remember not to eat the stem!
You can substitute brown rice, parboiled rice, quinoa, barley, or other grains, just make sure to adjust the cooking time to match the cooking time for the grain you’re using.
Variations:
Spicy: Substitute Cache Valley® Pepper Jack for all of the cheese in the recipe, and top with sliced fresh jalapeno as well as the onions and bell peppers.
Italian: Substitute Cache Valley® Six Cheese Italian for all of the cheese, remove the corn, and fold 1 cup diced tomato and ¼ cup chopped fresh basil into the rice with the cheese.