Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes Recipes

Steps:

• Cut the top 1/4-inch off each tomato and reserve. With a serrated knife, cut the interior membrane away from the outside skin without cutting through completely; scoop the membrane and seeds out with a spoon and transfer to a strainer set over a bowl to drain. Season the hollowed tomatoes and the membrane in the strainer with salt and pepper.
• Put the onions in a small bowl and cover them with 2 tablespoons vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let stand 10 minutes; this will remove some of the raw sharp flavor of the onion. In a bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon vinegar, the garlic oil and 1/4 cup of the drained tomato water. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Coarsely chop the drained tomato membrane and put in a mixing bowl. Drain the onions and add them along with the grissini pieces. Drizzle the dressing over the bowl and toss very well; season again and add more oil, tomato water and vinegar, as needed, to evenly moisten the stuffing. Stuff each tomato with 1/4 of the stuffing and garnish with the tomato tops. Chill until ready to serve.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the mozzarella, Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of the basil chiffonade. Gently stick your finger inside the flower all the way to the base where the flower meets the stem and carefully break off the stamen. When doing this be careful not to rip through the flower. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella mixture into an oblong shape and gently stuff it into each flower. Squeeze the flower around the cheese to close. Reserve.
• Toss the tomatoes together with the scallions and remaining basil in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and add a drizzle of red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Taste to make sure it is delicious and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1/2 cup of white wine. Mix until it becomes a loose batter adding more white wine, if necessary.
• Add peanut oil to a saucepan until it reaches a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Test the oil by dropping a couple of beads of the batter into it. When they float instantly the oil is ready. If the oil begins to smoke, it is too hot. Set up a paper towel drying situation before frying the flowers.
• Dip the flowers, 1 at time, into the batter and carefully drop them into the oil. Fry on both sides until they are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the flowers from the oil, drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Continue with the remaining flowers.
• Arrange the tomato salad on 4 salad plates and top each plate with 2 flowers.
• What a delicious flower!

Steps:

• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Cut the tops off of each tomato and scoop out the inside flesh into a bowl. Set aside the tomato shells. Roughly chop the inside tomato flesh or break it up with your hands, yielding 1 cup. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Place a large saute pan over the direct heat side of the grill and add a drizzle of olive oil. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef and cook until it begins to brown, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, onions, lemon zest, another drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Give it a stir and cook until fragrant and the onions are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir in the reserved tomato insides. Cook for about 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan for any brown bits. Add the mint and parsley. Give it one more stir and remove from the heat. Add the rice, pine nuts and goat cheese.
• Fill each reserved tomato shell to the top with the beef mixture and place into a cast-iron skillet. Sprinkle with the panko and drizzle with olive oil. Place on the indirect heat side of the grill and close the lid. Bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with olive oil drizzled over the top.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. Invert shells onto paper towels to drain. Mix stuffing ingredients except parsley; spoon stuffing into tomatoes. Sprinkle with parsley. , Place tomatoes in a baking dish; cover with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning of stuffing. Bake until tomatoes are tender and stuffing is hot, about 30 minutes.