Kousa squash

Here are some recipes for stuffed squash. You can use Kousa or any other large summer squash. You could also use the coming onslaught of winter squash, but the cooking times will be longer.

KOUSA QABLAMA
30 small marrow squash
2 1/2 cups minced lamb or beef
1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh tomato juice, or
2 Tbsp. tomato paste in 2 cups water
1 cup samneh (or other shortening)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup water

Scrub squash well.
Hollow from one end with an apple corer.
Fry onions in samneh until yellow.
Add meat, pine nuts, salt, pepper and cinnamon and fry until meat is browned.
Cool and stuff squash with this mixture.
Close the open end with a piece of squash pulp.
Saute the squash in samneh until brown all over.
Place in layers on rack in pressure cooker.
Add water and tomato juice.
Cook under pressure for 12 minutes.
Reduce pressure; open cooker.
Simmer uncovered until sauce is reduced and thickened.
Season to taste.
Serve with oriental rice.

Squash may be cooked in an open pan on top of the stove.
Allow to simmer in the tomato sauce for 20 minutes.
Serve hot in the same pan in which it was cooked.
This dish is considered just as good the second day.
Burghul is sometimes cooked in the leftover sauce.

(From Food from the Arab World
Marie Karam Khayat and Margaret Clark
Keatinge,
Khayat's, Beirut 1959)
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KOUSA MEHSHI
(Squash Stuffed with Lamb and Rice)
2 medium-sized summer squash
1/4 cup rice
1/2 lb diced lamb
11/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 to 8 mint leaves, chopped
2 or 3 lamb bones
2 to 4 cups tomato juice

Cut a lengthwise slice from each squash.
Scoop out the pulp, leaving only the shell.
To the pulp, add the rice and lamb, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mint leaves.
Stuff the squash with this mixture and replace the slice.

Place the lamb bones in the bottom of a kettle with the stuffed squash on top.
Weight down the squash with a plate and add tomato juice to cover.
Bring to a boil, cover the kettle, and simmer until squash are
tender, 30-40 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.
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Stuffed Squash (Kousa)

Makes: 8

8 medium yellow squash
1 lb. ground beef or lamb
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1 can (16 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Wash and cut off stem end of squash to allow for scooping.
Scoop out inside of squash leaving about 1/4 inch thickness. (Note: If regular scooper is not available use a potato peeler.)

Combine meat, rice, 1/2 can crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and mix well.
Stuff squash loosely about 3/4 full.

Stand them upright in a large pot.
Add remaining tomatoes, 1 can of water and 1/2 juice of lemon.
Cook for 30 minutes or longer over medium heat.

Comments

[susan russell]

Hi -
I grew up eating my Lebanese grandmother's stuffed kousa and I would like to find seeds in order to grow them myself. Do you know where I can purchase them? I have only found the magda variety and I am not sure that it is an authentic kousa seed. Thanks.

[Guy Clark]

I would try Fedco seeds. Their Kousa is a little different than the Magda offered by Johnny's. It is a very pale grey green with no stripes.