Zucchini And Corn Pirate Boats Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Slice the zucchini lengthwise, scoop out seeds and pulp and discard.
• Grill the corn until charred, then remove them from the grill and cut the kernels off the cobs.
• In a medium bowl add the corn and the butter and toss to coat.
• Add the herbs and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1 to 2 ounces of the grated Parmesan.
• Stuff the zucchini with the corn mixture and grill over medium heat until warm. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve when the cheese melts.

Steps:

• Set the watermelon on its side (stem ends facing left and right) and cut off a small flat piece of rind so the watermelon is stable.
• Use the screw top of the rum bottle to trace a circle on the top of the watermelon. Cut out the circle to make a hole exposing the flesh. Tilt the watermelon on its side and press the bottle into the watermelon all the way up to the neck. Turn the watermelon back so the bottle is facing downward. Put the watermelon on a tray and refrigerate until all the rum soaks in, 12 to 24 hours depending on the density of the watermelon.
• To make the ship: Cut off the top half of the watermelon in one piece lengthwise, just above the stem. Use a melon baller to scoop out as many balls as possible from the top and bottom halves of the melon and put them in a large bowl. Scrape the top and bottom halves down to the rind with a spoon. The bottom half of the melon will be your ship.
• Use a paring knife to cut a notch about 1 inch deep and 3 inches wide on each side of the ship. Mark 4 evenly spaced portholes under each notch using an apple corer (don't press all the way through). Use a paring knife to cut out the marked circles.
• Toss the chunks of mango, pineapple and papaya (reserving the slices) with the watermelon balls in the large bowl and fill the boat. (If there is a little fruit salad leftover, use it to refill the boat as your guests eat.)
• To make the sails: Cut the top half of the watermelon in half lengthwise and use the pieces to make sails. From the center most curved sections of the rinds cut out two 3-inch square sails. Cut two 2-inch sails and one 1 1/2-inch sail from the remaining rind pieces. Trim the backs of the sail to make them neat, but leave them thick.
• Thread 3 of the sails onto a 12-inch wood skewer in this order: a 3-inch sail on the bottom, 2-inch sail in the middle and 1 1/2-inch sail on the top. Thread the remaining 2 sails on an 8-inch wood skewer with the largest sail on the bottom. Stick the skewers with the sails into the fruit, putting the 3-sail mast in the back.
• Use a paring knife to cut 4 small flags from the papaya slices. Stick a flag on the top of each skewer mast. Stick 2 toothpicks in the back of the boat and add a flag to each.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Trim the ends off zucchini. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving 1/2-in. shells. Finely chop pulp. , In a skillet, cook beef, zucchini pulp, onion, mushrooms and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. Add 1/2 cup cheese, ketchup, salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon into the zucchini shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° until zucchini is tender, 25-30 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Cook and stir onion in the melted butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Cut kernels from the ears of corn. Add zucchini and corn; cook and stir until zucchini is tender, about 8 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Pull a lengthwise strip of corn husk (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide) from each ear to expose a strip of kernels and discard husk strip. Carefully peel back remaining husks, keeping them attached to stem ends, and snap ears from stem ends. Discard silk from husks. Tear a thin strip from a tender, inner piece of each husk and use it to tie loose end of each husk together, forming a boat. Cut corn kernels from ears and discard cobs.
• In a large heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté zucchini, stirring occasionally, until browned lightly and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer zucchini with slotted spoon to a bowl and season with salt.
• In oil remaining in skillet sauté corn kernels and onion with salt to taste over moderately high heat, stirring, 4 minutes and cook, covered, over low heat until corn is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add corn mixture to zucchini and season with salt.
• Cool filling and stir in cheese. Spoon filling into husk boats. (Corn boats may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and kept chilled, covered.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Arrange boats on a baking sheet and sprinkle filling with tortilla crumbs. Bake boats in upper third of oven until cheese is melted and filling is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve corn boats warm or at room temperature.