Yemista Me Ryzi - Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Vegetarian)

Um Safia's Note:

This recipe is for the ever popular stuffed vegetable, but this time there is NO meat involved! This particular recipe comes from Kaliroi Krasanaki & also goes by the name Yemista tis Kalliroi! (Kalliroi's Stuffed Vegetables). This recipe is simple & delicious. Tome to make doesn't include resting time. Posted for ZWT 4.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 large green bell peppers
• 5 medium zucchini small zucchini
• 1 small zucchini
• 3 medium eggplants
• 1 large potato
• 5 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 medium onion , grated
• ¾ cup fresh parsley , finely chopped
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 tablespoon long-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Wash all vegetables well, and peel the potato. Take a large bowl & put on the side to collect the flesh from the veggies.
2. Cut a cap off the top of tomatoes. Using a teaspoon, scoop out tomato pulp and put in a bowl. Set tomatoes and caps aside.
3. Bell peppers: Cut a cap off the top of the peppers, scoop out seeds, and rinse well. Set peppers and caps aside.
4. Potato: cut a thick slice off the potato lengthwise. Scoop out interior of potato and put in the bowl with the other vegetables, leaving a 1/8 inch shell. Set potato and top aside.
5. Eggplants: cut off the top with stem. Using a spoon, scoop out eggplant pulp and add to bowl with other vegetables. Set eggplants and tops aside.
6. Zucchini: trim tops of the 5 large zucchini, and using a spoon handle, scoop out zucchini pulp and add to bowl. Set zucchini and tops aside. Cut the small zucchini into 8 slices and set aside.
7. Using a vegetable grater (or the large grate on a cheese grater), grate all the pulp that was scooped out from the vegetables, as well as the tops of the zucchini and eggplant, and place in a large bowl.
8. Wash the rice, and add to the bowl. Add grated onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and all but 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well. The stuffing mix will be soupy.
9. Using a teaspoon, fill the vegetables to within 1/2 inch of the top. The rice will expand when cooked so take care not to overfill. Place caps on top, using the zucchini slices for the eggplant and zucchini.
10. Place the vegetables in a 14 x 11 inch (or equivalent) baking or roasting pan. The tomatoes should be placed upright, and the other vegetables should be placed on their sides. They should fit snugly in the pan.
11. There will be a little oil left in the bottom of the bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water and pour the mixture into the pan with the vegetables. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons).
12. Place vegetables on the second-lowest position (below the middle) in a cold oven and heat to 480F (250C). When the liquid starts to boil (about 10-15 minutes), reduce heat to 355F (180C) and cook for one hour.
13. Allow the vegetables to sit for 20 minutes before serving. Stuffed vegetables are served warm or at room temperature and are excellent the second day.

Reviews

[Karishnikov]

Perhaps I did something wrong when I made this, but the vegetables turned out rather chewy and bland, and the rice was undercooked, even though I cooked it for an extra half hour.