If
you can get the really big tomatoes sometimes (incomprehensibly)
known as ‘beef’ tomatoes’, they make a gorgeous starter when
stuffed with a savoury filling. There are, of course, countless ways
of making these, but I will give one example and a couple of
variations. Experiment as you wish.
I
use bulgur wheat rather than breadcrumbs, for making
the stuffing, but either gives excellent results.
Serves 2
2
tbsp bulgur wheat
1/4
cup boiling water
2
large tomatoes
1
small onion
2
garlic cloves
2
tbsp olive oil
1/4
tsp basil
1/4
tsp thyme
salt
and pepper
Method:
- Put the bulgur wheat into a small bowl and pour the boiling water over it.
- Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato and put to one side.
- Scoop out the insides with a teaspoon. You won’t need these for this recipe, but will undoubtedly find a use for them. (If you’re worried about it going mouldy, heat to boiling with a little hot water and put in a vacuum flask until you can use it the following day.)
- Put a little salt on the insides of the tomatoes to draw out excess juice. Turn them upside down to drain.
- Dice the onion and garlic and fry them in the oil until golden.
- When the bulgur wheat is softened, add the onion/garlic and the basil and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Be generous with the pepper.
- Place the tomatoes in the pressure cooker’s vegetable separator and put half the stuffing in each. Cover each tomato with its top.
- Put the trivet in the pressure cooker together with 1/2 cup water. Put the stuffed tomatoes on top. Bring up to pressure. Cook for 1 minute and allow the pressure to reduce naturally.
- Carefully lift out the tomatoes and serve hot.
Variations:
- Add 2 tbsp pine nuts to the filling, to make them even more special.
- Serve with rice (and wild rice) for a main course.
- Leave out the onion and the herbs and mix in 1/2 cup grated cheese with the bulgur wheat.
- Use 1/4 tsp dried, minced garlic with the bulgur rather than frying the garlic.