Middle-East Style Stuffed Zucchini

                              Middle-East Style Stuffed Zucchini

This is an alteration, of a Middle-Eastern stuffed pepper dish that I love- (Mahshi Filfil Hilu).
Small zucchini work best for this dish, although I have used large ones, with good results.
This will fill roughly 2-3 small, 1-1/2 medium, or 1 large zucchini.
I think next time I'll salt the inside of the zucchini first.

Ingredients:
zucchini
2Tbl. olive oil
1 green bell pepper-chopped
1onion -chopped
1/2tsp. sugar
3Tbl. pine nuts- I have used other nuts too
2Tbl. dried currants
2tsp. dried mint
1tsp. cinnamon
1/2tsp. allspice
1 cup water
1cup instant rice-uncooked
1/2tsp. salt
1/4tsp pepper
juice of 1 lemon
2Tbl.olive oil
1-1/2cups water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375*
Scoop out the center of the zucchini, leaving about a 1/8 inch shell.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the bell pepper, onion, and sugar.
Cook until the onion begins to caramelize a bit.
Stir in the pine nuts and currants.
When the currants begin to plump, stir in the mint cinnamon and allspice.
Add the water, and bring to a boil.
Turn off the burner, add the rice, cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Fill the zucchini with the rice mixture, and place them in a baking pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and water.
Slowly, pour the lemon mixture over the zucchini, allowing it to overflow into the pan.
Bake until the zucchini are tender, about an hour.
Gently transfer them to a serving dish.