Stuffed Tomatoes with Golden Crumb Topping
Stuffed tomatoes are classic comfort food. Serve with a mixed green salad studded with garden-fresh vegetables. For vegetarians, omit the beef or turkey.
Ingredients
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4 ounces 90%-lean ground beef, or 93%-lean ground turkey
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1 cup cooked brown rice, or 1/2 cup instant brown rice
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4 large ripe but firm tomatoes, (about 8 ounces each)
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
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Freshly ground pepper, to taste
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1/2 cup petite green peas, (cooked, if fresh; thawed, but not cooked, if frozen)
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1/4 cup minced red onion
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1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
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1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
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1 cup breadcrumbs, made from day-old whole-wheat bread (see Tip)
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 small clove garlic, minced
Directions
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2.
Cook ground beef or turkey in a small skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with a spoon, until brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3.
If using cooked rice, go to Step 4. To prepare instant brown rice, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice, return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4.
Add cooked rice to the bowl with the meat.
5.
Meanwhile, slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pulp and add to the bowl with the rice and meat. (Reserve the remaining pulp for another use; see Kitchen Tips.) Season the inside of the tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
6.
Add peas, onion, 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes and place the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes.
7.
Bake the tomatoes until the crumbs are golden and the tomatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tips:
Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.
Kitchen Tip: Save the scooped-out tomato pulp to use in fresh tomato soup or pasta sauce. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition information
Calories 355, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Sodium 639 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 20 g, Potassium 695 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin C 90%, Calcium 25%, Iron 15%. Exchanges: Starch 2,Vegetable 1,High-Fat Meat 1.5.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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