Middle eastern stuffed vegetables
4 Portobello mushrooms
2 round zucchini (courgettes)
2 small green peppers
2 red onions
2 young artichokes
500 g /1 lb ground lamb
2 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
1 egg
3 pinches of cumin
100 g/3.5 oz stale bread
100 ml/½ cup milk
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Remove the tops and stems from the small peppers, discard the seeds and place the peppers on a paper towel. Cut the ends off the onions, but do not peel them. With a melon baller, carve a hollow into each onion. Repeat for the zucchini. “Turn” the artichokes* and parboil for 4 minutes in salted water. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Season all the vegetables with salt and pepper.
Mix the lamb with milk-soaked bread, minced shallots and garlic, egg and cumin; knead to completely combine. Fill the vegetables with this mixture. For the mushrooms, wrap a ball of stuffing with two mushroom caps. Cut artichokes to the base of the stem and drop in a scoop of the stuffing.
Place the stuffed vegetables in the tagine and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Serve with couscous flavoured with cinnamon.
You can sprinkle the bottom of the tagine with small pasta (like orzo) or rice. Lightly salt and top with the vegetables. It will cook by absorbing the juices of the vegetables.