ingredients
3-4 medium (approx 10”) courgettes
Olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
350g minced beef
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp harissa paste or 1 tsp chili powder
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
500g passata or sieved tomatoes
1/2 tsp brown sugar
50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Sea Salt, to taste
400g tin of kidney beans (280g is drained weight)
300g cooked rice (brown basmati gives a lovely texture)
Large bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
To serve:
Tomato Salsa
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Lime wedges
Serves 6
instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Halve the courgettes horizontally and place on a roasting tin. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10-15 mins until firm but a little soft in the centre. Use a sharp knife to cut around the edges leaving a border of about 1”. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Set the hollowed shells aside.
Pour 2 tbsp oil into a heavy based pan and saute the onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Increase the heat and add the minced beef. After about three minutes add the spices and move the meat and onions around the pan so that it browns evenly. Add the chopped and sieved tomatoes along with the sugar. Once the mixture begins to bubble lower the heat and leave to simmer and thicken for 8-10 minutes. Stir through the chocolate until melted. Taste for seasoning. Remove from the heat. Stir through the rice and beans. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out courgettes. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until the courgette is al dente. Scatter with the coriander and top with salsa, lime juice and sour cream.
