Zucchini boats stuffed with prawns

zucchini stuffed with prawns

The picture doesn’t really reflect the recipe, but it’s close.

Serves 4 to 6

1 kg small to medium young zucchini
500g prawns, in their shells
1/2 cup toasted, unflavored bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic chopped very fine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black Pepper
1 large egg

Soak the zucchini in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse well under cold running water.
Drop the zucchini into boiling salted water. The moment the water returns to a boil, drain the zucchini, removing them gently from the pot. Set aside to cool completely.
Trim the ends off , cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, using a narrow-bladed tool, scoop out the insides, taking care not to puncture the skin. Leave a wall about 1/4 inch thick
Turn on the oven to 180 C
Rinse the prawns in cold water, shell them, and remove the dark vein from each. Chop them into pieces not bigger than a large pea.

Put the chopped shrimp in a bowl together with 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the garlic, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and grindings of pepper.

Seperate the egg, set aside the white, and add the yolk to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

Choose a shallow baking pan that can accommodate all the zucchini in a single layer. Grease the bottom of the pan lightly with olive oil and place the zucchini on it cut side up.

Sprinkle them lightly with salt. Beat the egg white lightly and brush the insides of the zucchini with it.

Stuff the zucchini with the prawn  mixture. heaping them full enough, if possible, to form a slight mound.

Sprinkle the top of each boat with the remaining bread crumbs and pour the remaining olive oil over in a thin stream.

Place the boats in the uppermost level of the ovenfor 6 to 7 minutes, until the top forms a light, pale golden crust. Serve when lukewarm