Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Zucchini Boats
- 4 large zucchini, whole
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt
Potato Topping
- 600 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 45 g unsalted butter
- 60 ml heavy cream, warm
- 30 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 g salt
Lamb Filling
- 450 g ground lamb
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 2 g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 60 g frozen peas
- 80 ml lamb stock or beef stock
- 5 g cornstarch
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 762 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Fat
- 49 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1065 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 128 mg
- Potassium
- 1494 mg
- Calcium
- 166 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 108 mg
- Phosphorus
- 428 mg
- Zinc
- 4.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 344 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 7.2 mg
- Folate
- 39 mcg
- Water
- 138 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the zucchini boats: Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the flesh, leaving a 0.5cm (1/4 inch) border. Sprinkle the hollowed boats with salt and place them cut-side down on paper towels for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
Place peeled, cubed potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.
While potatoes boil, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground lamb. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through (internal temp 71°C/160°F). Drain excess fat if necessary.
Add diced onion and carrot to the lamb. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables soften. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and frozen peas. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the liquid thickens into a glossy sauce. Remove from heat.
Drain potatoes well. Pass through a ricer or mash thoroughly. Fold in butter, warm cream, and half the parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a piping bag (optional) or keep warm.
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Pat the zucchini boats dry with a paper towel. Arrange them in a baking dish. Fill each boat generously with the lamb mixture.
Pipe or spoon the mashed potato over the lamb filling. Use a fork to create ridges on top (this increases surface area for browning). Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the zucchini is tender-crisp and the potato topping is golden brown.
Chef's Notes
- Choose zucchini that are straight and uniform in size to ensure even cooking and stable 'boats' that won't tip over.
- For the smoothest mash, use a potato ricer rather than a hand masher; this prevents the potatoes from becoming gummy.
- Don't throw away the scooped-out zucchini flesh! Sauté it separately for a morning omelet or freeze it for vegetable stock.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Texture of potato may change slightly upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in oven at 175°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes to maintain potato crust texture.
Troubleshooting
Zucchini boats are watery or soggy
Cause: Insufficient salting/sweating time before baking
Fix: Carefully tilt the baking dish to drain excess liquid; broil for 2 minutes to dry out the top
Prevention: Ensure you salt the hollowed zucchini and let them sit upside down for at least 15 minutes to release water
Cultural Context
Shepherd's Pie is a traditional British dish originally designed to use up leftover roasted meat (specifically lamb; beef makes it a Cottage Pie). This variation adapts the heavy winter comfort food for warmer seasons by replacing the pastry or heavy casserole dish with zucchini, a staple of Mediterranean summer gardening.
