All of this week's recipes involve stuffing or filling of some type. Stuffing cherry tomatoes sounds like a lot of work, but it's not as time-consuming as you might think. If you don't want to take the time, however, the filling works well as a spread for crackers. It can also be spread on ham slices, rolled, chilled, and cut into 1 inch pieces. The chicken breasts are excellent with steamed rice and the zucchini provides a colorful side dish. We've noted that the chicken should be secured with uncolored toothpicks (using colored ones when they were the only thing available quickly taught us that the colors run in the cooking process - not very attractive). In trying to come up with a "stuffed" dessert, it occurred to us that figs are in season now and are excellent when filled with a mixture of cream cheese and chopped nuts. Of course, they are also wonderful fresh off the tree.
Ingredients:
Remove stem ends from cherry tomatoes, scoop out seeds and drain on paper towels. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, celery salt, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until smooth. Stir in radishes and green onions, if desired. Stuff mixture into cherry tomatoes and chill. Filling recipe makes 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350°. Place chicken breasts between pieces of waxed paper and gently flatten with a rolling pin. Remove top layer of waxed paper and season each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Place a slice of ham and one piece of cheese on each chicken breast and roll up tightly. Secure each roll with two or three toothpicks. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and, turning carefully, brown on all sides. Remove browned chicken breasts to an ovenproof casserole and keep warm. Add chicken broth and wine to juices in pan, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Pour liquid over chicken, cover and bake for 40-45 minutes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove toothpicks and place in serving bowl. Add cornstarch and water mixture to broth and heat until slightly thickened. Pour the thickened broth over the chicken and serve with steamed rice. 8 servings.
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350°. Wash the zucchini thoroughly under running water and remove stems. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the whole zucchini and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Cut a lengthwise strip (1/4 inch) from each zucchini; mince the strips and set aside. Carefully scoop the flesh from each zucchini and discard. Drain zucchini on paper towels.
In a large skillet over low heat, cook the onion in 3 TBS olive oil just until soft. Add the minced zucchini strips and continue cooking, covered for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, anchovy paste and 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Fill the hollowed-out zucchini with the mixture and place in an ovenproof casserole that has been brushed with 1 TBS olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. While the zucchini is baking, toast the remaining bread crumbs in 2 TBS olive oil. Cool slightly and mix with the grated Asiago. Remove the baked zucchini from the oven and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the bread crumb and Asiago mixture over the zucchini and place the dish under the broiler until the crumb mixture is golden brown. 6 servings.
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