Greek Stuffed Tomatoes Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the tomatoes. With a sharp paring knife, cut out the tops of the tomatoes as you would a jack-o'-lantern, leaving them intact so that you can replace them when you bake the tomatoes. Cut away the woody core, and reserve the tops. Using a small spoon, preferably a grapefruit spoon, scoop out the insides of the tomatoes. Place a strainer over a bowl, and rub the seed pods against the strainer. Discard the seeds. Finely chop the pulp. Add to the bowl with the juice. Salt the tomato shells, place them upside down on a rack set on a baking sheet, and let drain while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
• Toss the shredded zucchini with a generous amount of salt, and let drain in a colander for 10 minutes. Take up handfuls of zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to the bowl with the tomato pulp. Add the garlic, mint, parsley or dill, and rice or bulgur. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a baking dish large enough to accommodate all of the tomatoes. Fill the tomatoes almost to the top with the stuffing, and replace the caps. Place in the oiled baking dish. Drizzle on the remaining oil. Place in the oven, and bake 45 minutes to an hour until the tomatoes are almost collapsing. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool to room temperature or serve hot.

Steps:

• A big platter of these tomatoes goes well with grilled meat or fish, or serve them as a starter with cured meats and crusty bread.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Toast the bread, then remove the crusts and break it up into the food processor to make crumbs. Add the thyme, chives or parsley, oil and garlic, then pulse briefly to mix.
• Halve the tomatoes and put in one layer in a shallow ovenproof dish. Spread each cut side with a little mustard, then sprinkle a little of the crumb mix on the top. Bake for 15-20 mins until the topping is crunchy and lightly browned.

Steps:

• Cut off tops of tomatoes (retain tops) and carefully scoop out flesh (retain this as well).
• Cut off tops of peppers (retain tops) and remove seeds and membrane.
• Place tomatoes and peppers in a pan large enough to hold them comfortably and give each veg a tiny dash of sugar with the tips of your fingertips (I really think this is important!).
• Take tomato flesh and process it until pureed.
• Add olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mint, parsley, nuts, cheese, sultanas, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (or season to taste).
• Stuff the vegetables evenly with this mixture.
• Replace tops of tomatoes and peppers.
• Combine 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup olive oil with a scant tablespoonful of tomato paste and a little salt and pepper and pour this around the veg.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven (180C) for approx 1 3/4 hours (vegetables should pierce easily and be slightly blackened in parts).
• Turn off oven and leave in for another hour to'mellow' before serving.
• This is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.
• It is wonderful eaten along with little bites of feta cheese and a cool glass of white or rose.
• It will also have yummy juices begging to be mopped up with bits of crusty bread.
• In my version, I also take 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, cut them into big wedges, toss in a little olive oil with salt and pepper to taste, and'plant' in the spaces amidst the vegetables.
• That way you can have a couple of wedges of potato too.

Steps:

• Cut off tops of tomatoes, leaving 1 corner still attached to create a lid. Scoop insides of tomatoes and transfer 'meat' to a large bowl; squeeze juices out of tomatoes. Cut off tops of green peppers and reserve for later use; scoop out seeds and membranes. Arrange tomatoes and bell peppers in a 11x17-inch baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in the melted butter until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add ground chuck, soy sauce, seasoned salt, and black pepper to onion mixture; cook until ground chuck is browned and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Mix squeezed tomato meat and water into browned chuck; bring to a simmer, about 15 minutes. Add rice and bring to a boil; remove skillet from heat. Spoon beef-rice mixture into tomatoes; place tops onto filled tomatoes and arrange them into the baking dish with lid sides down.
• Stuff bell peppers with beef-rice mixture and top with reserved lids; lay bell peppers sideways in the baking dish. Pour olive oil over stuffed tomatoes and bell peppers; season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn bell peppers and continue baking until bell peppers and tomatoes are softened, about 30 more minutes.

Steps:

• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
• Add the garlic and cook for a moment until aromatic, then add the oregano and stir.
• Add the lamb, season and fry, stirring often, until it changes colour.
• Add the wine, turn the heat up and cook until all the liquid evaporates. Transfer the lamb to a large bowl with a slotted spoon to drain the fat and leave to cool.
• Remove a lid from each tomato and either discard or keep for the stockpot. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides, reserving them in a bowl.
• Purée these in a food processor with a little salt, pepper and sugar. Sprinkle the inside of each tomato with a little sugar and place upside down on a double layer of kitchen paper to drain for 20 minutes while you finish preparing the stuffing.
• Stir the breadcrumbs, the eggs and feta into the lamb, then stuff this into the tomatoes, levelling off the surface at the top.
• Over a medium heat, pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large cast-iron casserole that will hold the tomatoes snugly in a single layer (this helps to contain their sides as they cook).
• Add half the tomatoes, stuffed-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes until the stuffing goes a deep gold, then loosen them with a palette knife or spatula, gently turn the right way up, and transfer to a plate while you cook the rest in the same way.
• Arrange all the tomatoes stuffed-side up in the casserole.
• Spoon 1 2/3 cups of the reserved tomato purée around the tomatoes, bring it to a simmer and then cook, uncovered, over a very low heat for approximately 1½ hours, until it forms a rich, well-reduced sauce.
• Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot or at room temperature, drizzled with a little olive oil and scattered with parsley.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Slice tomatoes in half, scoop out seeds, and place in a baking dish sliced-side up. Sprinkle with and salt and pepper . Bake for 5 minutes. Remove tomatoes from oven, drizzle with olive oil, and bake an additional 10 minutes.
• While baking tomatoes, mix together cucumber, yogurt, olives, basil, and sugar. Stir in feta cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove tomatoes from oven, fill with cucumber mixture, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.