HOT STUFFED TOMATOES
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut large hollows in the stem ends of:
- Firm-ripe medium tomatoes
Lightly sprinkle with salt and invert them on a rack to drain for about 15 minutes.
Fill the tomato cases with any of the following:
- Cheese (fresh goat cheese, mozzarella, or ricotta), bread crumbs, and minced herbs
- Browned ground lamb, pine nuts, and cooked rice
- Sausage, Onion, and Sage Stuffing or Rice Dressing with Chorizo and Chiles
- Wild Rice with Sautéed Mushrooms, Cajun Dirty Rice, or any cooked grain seasoned with herbs and salt to taste
- Mushroom Filling, or Meat and Spinach Filling, mixed with ricotta
- Creamed Spinach, Sautéed Corn, or Creamed Corn, and crumbled crisp cooked bacon
Cover with:
- Au Gratin II or III, or grated Parmesan or Romano
Place the cases in a baking pan and bake until soft and browned, about 30 minutes. If they are very ripe, you may bake them in well-greased muffin tins to keep them shapely.