Herb-stuffed tomatoes
Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks are on an increasing number of kitchen bookshelves these days. His book, Plenty, focuses on vegetables and grains.
These stuffed tomatoes are simply excellent. This version uses olives — you could substitute four anchovy fillets for the olives. The proportions of herbs are not crucial. These are perfect for the middle of summer.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 large firm but ripe tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 12 "wrinkly" black olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup panko or finely ground bread crumbs — I dried some whole-grain bread chunks in the preheating oven and then ground them
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped capers
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Cut about a 3/8-inch "top" off of the tomatoes.
- Scoop out most of the flesh and seeds leaving a thick shell.
- Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and invert in a colander to drain off excess liquid.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Saute the onion, garlic, and olives or anchovies in half the oil until the onions soften.
- Mix in the bread, herbs, and capers.
- Wipe out the tomatoes with paper towel to dry them further.
- Arrange in a lightly oiled baking dish and stuff each tomato with the mixture.
- Add pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Roast for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Serve warm or hot.
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Calories: 140
- Total fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 16 g
- Dietary fiber: 4 g
- Total sugars: 7 g
- Protein: 3 g