300 Miles for 31 Days: Stuffed Tomatoes
I will be going on Connecticut Style to make stuffed tomatoes and talk about my upcoming little experiment of eating food produced (grown and caught) within 300 miles of my home. As July, approaches I am becoming more anxious and nervous about this. I wonder: will I be able to do it? Will my daughter completely revolt? Will it make my husband grumpy because he cannot have certain things? I don’t know. But, I think if I put thought into all the meals in advance than they will feel ‘gourmet’ (or as gourmet as I can be) thus making them happy. So, one of the veggies I will make will be stuffed tomatoes. In this recipe, I will stuff them with mushrooms and zucchini. This recipes is very versatile. It can be stuffed with all types of veggies like red pepper, spinach, summer squash and many other options. Or, you can change the recipes and stuff a red pepper if you do not like tomatoes.
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil (or 1 1/2 tablespoons butter)
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 1/2 cup chopped zucchini (approx 1 zucchini, peeled and chopped)
2 teaspoons thyme
2 tablespoons oregano
dash of salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine
4 tablespoons cheese (to sprinkle or spread…up to you)
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Grease a baking pan with butter or spray a baking pan with nonstick spray.
3. Chop the very top of each tomato off. With a knife, core the tomato. You want to make a circle around the tomato so that you can scoop the pulp and insides out of the tomato. Then with a spoon scoop out as much of the inside of the tomato as you can. You are making a tomato shell.
4. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil (or butter). Add the chopped zucchini. Saute for 3 minutes. The color with brighten a bit.
5. Add the mushrooms, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to the skillet. Saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add the white wine. Cover. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Fill the tomatoes with the zucchini mixture.
8. Place a tablespoon of cheese on each tomato.
9. Put the cut tomato top back on each tomato. Place on the greased pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
I frequently make these stuffed tomatoes on the grill. You can make a little tin foil purse around each tomato so it is sort of in the Hershey kiss shape. And, put it on the hot grill for about 10-15 minutes. It has such a pretty presentation.
If you would like to learn more recipes for things grown/caught in and around Connecticut I am teaching a class at the Branford Adult Education on September 22, 2010 at 6:30pm. You can visit their website for more info. Happy Cooking!!!
Topic: 300-miles-for-31-days, Food Tags: 300-miles-for-31-days, Food
