Wholesome comfort cooking: Zucchini stew recipe for family dinners

Zucchini Stew is a simple one-pot dish and a great way to use up a large, overripe courgette, which can be hard to find a use for. The courgette is the base of this dish. And believe it or not, it works phenomenally in this role.

Zucchini Stew contains aromatic additions, including fried sausage, stewed vegetables, and wild mushrooms. As the name suggests, it lacks cabbage, but the courgette compensates for its absence and takes the dish to a new level. You must try this recipe.

On the ingredients list for Zucchini Stew, you will find red czubryca. This is a spice mix originating from the Balkans, whose composition can vary by region and culinary taste. The base of red czubryca is mountain savory, often accompanied by chilli pepper, sweet pepper, black pepper, garlic, sugar, and salt. Additionally, red czubryca very often includes rosemary, marjoram, basil, dried onion, and dried tomatoes. So, if you don't have red czubryca at home, you can easily make it by mixing your favourite spices.

When preparing Zucchini Stew, special attention should be paid to the courgette, as it is the main ingredient. You don't need to peel the courgette or remove the centre if you have young specimens. It's a bit different from courgette, which is already overripe. If its skin is hard, it is better to eliminate it, like the seed nests.

Ingredients:

• 2 kilograms courgette,
• 2 large onions,
• 2 cloves of garlic,
• 200 grams sausage,
• 200 grams pork neck,
• some dried mushrooms,
• 400 grams tomatoes,
• 1 large carrot,
• 1 tablespoon red czubryca,
• crushed pepper with coriander,
• sugar and salt to taste,
• parsley,
• lard or rapeseed oil for frying.

Preparation:

1. Soak the mushrooms the day before.
2. Cut the sausage into slices and the pork neck into medium cubes. Heat the fat in a pot and fry the meat until it is browned.
3. Next, add the diced onion to the meat, and when it turns translucent, add finely chopped garlic. Stir and cover to let it gently stew.
4. Grate the carrot on a coarse grater, chop the soaked dried mushrooms, and dice the tomatoes (you can peel them beforehand).
5. Add the vegetables and mushrooms to the meat, stir, and cover. Stew on low heat.
6. Wash the courgette and cut it into larger cubes, then add it to the other ingredients.
7. Season the contents of the pot with red czubryca, crushed pepper with coriander, salt, and sugar.
8. Stew everything until the meat is tender.
9. Serve the finished dish with freshly chopped parsley alongside some bread.