Baked Spinach and Zucchini

“The rice and eggs in this make it surprisingly filling. I used fresh zucchini and frozen spinach, but if you want to use frozen zucchini just let them thaw first. Thawing them will allow you to drain any excess water from them and you might also notice you need to cook them for a few extra minutes.”

– Bobbie Jo

Ingredients

Directions

4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided Good olive oil 6 scallions, white and green parts, sliced 1/4 inch across 1 pound zucchini, sliced in 1/4-inch-thick rounds 1 T minced garlic (3 cloves) 3 c SWP Spinach, defrosted 1 c cooked basmati rice 1/4 c chopped fresh basil leaves 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley 1/2 t ground nutmeg 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice Kosher salt and black pepper 4 extra-large eggs 3/4 c heavy cream 1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra 2 oz Gruyere cheese, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-14-by-2-inch oval baking dish, or six individual cast-iron pans, with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and set aside. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and zucchini and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Lightly press most of the water out of the spinach and add it to the pan. Add the rice, basil, parsley, nutmeg, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, the -remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, and the 1/4 cup Parmesan. Pour the mixture over the spinach and zucchini and smooth the top. Sprinkle with some extra Parmesan and the Gruyere. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. **Notes: The rice needs to be prepared before you do anything else, don’t let it sneak up on you. Also, there is no substitute for Gruyere! Don’t spend all this time and energy to just throw some cheddar on it! Get the good stuff