Rice Stuffed Baked Tomatoes
Stuffing tomatoes look like bell peppers on the outside and are also hollow inside. It is simplicity itself to remove the central seed core and to stuff them with any number of ingredients. Bcause they have a shorter growing season and are much more productive, they produce far more food per plant than a bell pepper, and are really worth a try in your garden. Here we showcase an excellent use of this type of tomato, filling them with a simple but savory rice stuffing. While we used purple basil for color contrast, you can of course use normal green basil as well. This recipe is very loosely adapted from a stuffed squash recipe presented in Georgeanne Brennan’s 1995 France: The Vegetarian Table (ISBN 978-0811804745). 2 tablespoons olive oil Heat olive oil over medium. Add in onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Now add the garlic, stir for 20-30 seconds. Add rice and sauté 2-3 minutes until the grains become chalky. Add water, salt, parsley and half the basil and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is cooked and all the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining basil. Cover and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375º F. Fill tomatoes with rice mixture and top with the grated gruyere. Place filled tomatoes into an oiled casserole and cover. Bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese topping has begun to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Archive |
 |
 |
 |