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Make use of tomatoes, zucchini

The Columbian
Published: September 8, 2014, 5:00pm

Tomatoes and zucchini are summer favorites for backyard gardeners to grow. And non-gardeners are lucky to get some of the bounty.

If you find yourself awash with the two garden goodies, this recipe fits the bill for them. It also makes great use of any homegrown fresh herbs.

You can save time by using cooked rice or even cooked orzo (you’ll need about 3 to 4 cups cooked) in the stuffing and bake the tomatoes until they are softened and the stuffing is heated through.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Makes: 10. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

2 cups long-grain rice

10 large, firm, ripe tomatoes

1/2 pound any size tomatoes

Boiling water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup cold water

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, peeled, finely chopped

2 small zucchini, washed, finely diced

4 green onions, washed, sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 small bunch fresh basil, washed and chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse the rice under cold water; set aside.

Slice off the stalk end of each tomato, and set aside. You’ll use them as lids later. Cut away the central ribs and seeds, and scoop them out. Set aside. Finely chop the remainder of the scooped-out flesh, and put in a bowl with the rice.

Put the hollow tomatoes upside down on a cooking rack over a baking dish to catch any excess juice. Take the extra 1 1/2 pound tomatoes and drop in boiling water for about 1 minute to loosen skins. Remove from the water and remove the skins. Put the skinned tomatoes with the reserved scooped-out flesh of the four tomatoes in a food processor. Puree, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the cold water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, and saute 2 minutes. Add the sauteed mixture to the rice. Stir in the green onions, parsley, basil and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

Pour the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Season the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and gently pack the stuffing so the tomatoes are three-quarters full. Cover with their lids and place in the 9-by-13-inch baking dish so they fit snuggly. Put any remaining stuffing in a baking dish, cover and bake with the tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour or until the rice is tender. Baste several times with the tomato sauce on the bottom. Remove from the oven, and let cool before serving.

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