Stuffed Tomatoes








Whether you grow your own tomatoes or buy them this is a great recipe for a quick mid-week meal.


Stuffed tomatoes make a great starter or a light dinner served with cheese on toast, they can be prepared earlier and reheated in the oven for 5-6 minutes.

Serves 4

8 large firm tomatoes
100g brown rice
1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp sultanas
1 small onion, chopped
10 fl oz chicken stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly milled pepper
Sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas 4

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based sauté pan over a moderate heat.  Cook gently for 5 minutes then add the rice, cinnamon, thyme, pine nuts and sultanas.  Stir until the oil is completely absorbed then season with salt and pepper.

Pour on the stock, stir once and put the lid on the sauté pan, simmer gently for 30 minutes until all the liquid has gone.  Taste to check the seasoning.

Cut a small lid from each tomato and set aside, scoop out the seeds, put a pinch of sugar in each tomato and fill with the rice mixture, replace the tomato lid.

Place the stuffed tomatoes in a roasting tin with a little water in the bottom and drizzle a few drops of olive oil  over each tomato.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and serve warm.