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At the local Farmer’s Markets during summer and early fall you will notice an abundance of Squash which come in different shapes, size, and colors.  Look at these beauties, I love the different color combination on them.  So I am declaring this week to be “Squash Week” here at My Persian Kitchen. I have three different squash recipes that I will post this week.

When saying the word “Dolmeh” most people immediately think of stuffed grape leaves. Persians use the word “dolmeh” for any type of vegetable that is stuffed. I love the way Persians make stuffed vegetables, it is so good! I could not resist making dolmeh with these squashes because they looked gorgeous and I thought that they would be fun to photograph.

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This is the first installment of Persian Dolmeh that I will be posting. I should have started with the stuffed grape leaves Dolmeh, as it is the most popular, but to be honest, I am not happy with the pictures that I took the last time we made it.  I will make it again sometime soon and post the recipe. In the mean time enjoy Dolmeh-ye Kadoo.

Ingredients

3 round squashes

1/4 cup split peas

1/4 cup rice*

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 lb ground meat

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 scallions, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

1 tsp dried tarragon (if using fresh, chop just a few leaves)

2 tsp advieh

pinch of saffron

salt & pepper

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Cook split peas and rice for 30 minutes.  Make sure that you season with salt.

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Sauté onion and garlic in oil. When translucent add ground meat. Season with salt and cook until meat is well cooked. I used ground turkey in this case because it has less fat. You can use any type of ground meat that you little heart desires.

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Add 1 tbsp of tomato paste with 1/4 cup of water. Let reduce until juices are absorbed.

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In the mean time cut the top part of the squash.

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Carve out the flesh and save for later use.

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Rub the inside of the squash with a little salt.

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In a bowl mix rice, split peas, cooked ground meat, parsley, chives, tarragon, and advieh. Add a pinch of pepper and adjust salt if needed.

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Mix well together.

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Load the mixture into the squash. This recipe was just enough for these three for me.

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In a pan bring 1 cup of water to boil. Add 1 tbsp of tomato paste, a pinch of saffron, and a pinch of salt. I used the same pan where I cooked the meat. If you are a perfectionist you can use a new pan, I am all about practicality and having to wash less dishes!

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Place the squashes in the pan, cover, and bake in 375° oven for 45 minutes.  Uncover and cook until a fork easily penetrates in the skin. While cooking baste he squashes with the juices.

stuffed-squash14-smallServe the squash with some of its juices.

* For those who keep a Gluten Free diet, use GF rice.