Stuffed round courgettes (GAPS)

Served with carrot shavings and courgette cream

This meal could be on a fancy restaurant menu. It is elegant, sophisticated, appealing, and extremely tasty, all you want for a meal to be. It is simple, not too complicated, yet delicate and delightful. I am not teasing you any further, here is the recipe:

You will need (feeds 3):
6 medium round courgettes
3 large carrots
300 - 350 g ground beef, depending on the sizes of your courgettes
6 tbsp ghee
1 generous tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 + 1 garlic cloves
1 cm fresh ginger
freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt 2 tbsp ghee in a wide frying pan and brown the meat over medium-low heat. Stir in the finely chopped garlic and fresh ginger. Add a splash of water (or a ladle of hot beef bone broth), cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 12 mins.
2. Cut off the tops of the courgettes and scoop out the flesh with a melon baller. Reserve the hats and the flesh.
3. Season the beef mince with fresh thyme leaves and freshly ground black pepper, and stuff the round courgettes with the juicy meat, put the courgette hats/lids back on top.
4. Arrange the stuffed courgettes are in a baking dish and place the dish into a preheated oven and bake at 170 C for 25 to 30 mins.

5. While the courgettes are in the oven, peel the carrots and shave them lengthwise with the vegetable peeler. Melt 2 tbsp ghee in a pan, add the carrot shavings, cover with a lid. Cook on high heat for two mins, then reduce to low and cook for further 3 to 4 mins. Take it off the heat, keep the lid on until serving.
6. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp ghee in a sauce pan, add the finely minced garlic, fry for a minute or two until aroma is released, then add the scooped out courgette flesh. Fry for a minute or two, cover with a lid, then take it off the heat and let it steam and soften further for a few minutes, them immerse a hand blender and cream until smooth.
7. To serve: Ladle some hot courgette cream on the plate, place two stuffed courgettes on the plate with the cream. Serve with more cream on the side and the carrot shavings in a separate bowl. Enjoy!

[i] For more GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.