Stuffed zucchini

Halve the courgettes lengthways and scoop out the seedy centre, leaving a sturdy shell. Salt the shells briefly, then blot them dry; cook the chopped flesh in a pan until its released liquid has evaporated before mixing it into the filling.

Bake filled courgette halves in a dish at 200 °C for about 25–35 minutes, until the flesh is tender and the filling is piping hot. If the tops brown too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil.

Usually not: small or medium courgettes soften in the oven alongside the filling. For very large ones, bake the hollowed shells cut-side down for about 10 minutes first, then fill and bake until tender.

A classic-style filling combines browned minced meat, onion, tomato and herbs; rice, lentils or breadcrumbs make good meat-free bases. Feta, grated cheese or toasted breadcrumbs add a savoury topping.

Yes. Prepare and fill the courgettes, cover the dish and refrigerate it for up to a day before baking; allow a little extra oven time if it goes in cold. Keep cooked leftovers covered in the fridge and use within three days.

Aubergines, tomatoes and bell peppers all make good edible shells, though their cooking times differ. Stuffed aubergine is softer and often takes longer to bake, while pepper halves keep their shape well.

They are very similar: stuffed zucchini has 8.7 g of protein per 100 g, compared with 8.37 g in stuffed bell pepper.