Kolokithakia gemista, Greek stuffed zucchini, is a taverna and home-cooking classic across Greece: zucchini filled with beef, rice and herbs and draped in lemony avgolemono sauce.
The soul of the dish is the herb trio of dill, spearmint and parsley, brightened with lemon, and the silky egg-lemon sauce that ties everything together.
It takes a little assembly, but nothing difficult, and the reward is a complete meal that is somehow both comforting and fresh.
Kolokithakia Gemista Recipe
What you need
Ingredients
- 8 zucchini
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, diced small
- 5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¾ cup (5.3 oz) risotto rice
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 cups water, divided
- 14 oz ground beef
- Parsley, spearmint, dill, lemon zest and lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For the avgolemono sauce:
- 5½ tablespoons (2.8 oz) butter
- ⅔ cup (2.8 oz) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups water
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- Zest and juice of 2 lemons
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 2 egg yolks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cook along
Instructions
- Cut the ends off the zucchini and hollow them out with a corer or small spoon, reserving the flesh for another use.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a hot pan and sauté the onion, garlic and carrot with salt and pepper for 8 to 10 minutes, until caramelized.
- Add the rice and sauté briefly, then add the ground beef and cook 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Deglaze with the wine, add half the water, and boil over medium heat until the liquid evaporates.
- Off the heat, stir in the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper.
- Fill each zucchini with the mixture and stand them in a pot. Add the remaining water, 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.
- For the sauce: melt the butter, whisk in the flour until toasted, then gradually whisk in the water. Add the bouillon cube and whisk until thickened.
- Off the heat, whisk in the lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, egg yolks, salt and pepper.
- Serve the zucchini with the sauce spooned generously on top.
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