Baked zucchini with minced meat

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 3 m.-large zucchini
• 300 g minced meat, mixed
• 3 cloves garlic, more to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon juice
• Salt and pepper (freshly ground)
• 40 g butter
• 40 g flour
• 0.38 liters of beef broth
• 0.38 liters of milk
• 100 g cheese, Gouda, young, grated
• Cinnamon
• nutmeg
• Salt
• pepper
• possibly Tabasco

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

First, wash the zucchini and halve it lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon and chop finely. Place the zucchini halves side by side in a sufficiently large ovenproof dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Heat the oil in a pan, fry the minced meat and crushed garlic cloves until browned, then add the zucchini flesh and sauté briefly. Season with lemon juice (or a dash of Tabasco), salt, and pepper. Immediately pour the mixture into the zucchini halves. Sauté the butter, toast the flour in it until light yellow, and add the broth and milk to create a beautifully creamy sauce (you can enhance it with a little cream, if you like, but it’s not necessary). Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and a touch of cinnamon (don’t overdo it—otherwise, it will overpower the entire dish). This sauce is then poured into the dish and carefully over the zucchini. Finally, the zucchini are sprinkled with grated cheese. Everything is then baked for about 30 minutes. This dish is best served with fresh black bread and a crisp Riesling.