Stuffed Tomatoes with Golden Crust
(from Amanda_Rose’s recipe box)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 2 people
Ingredients
- 2 ounces 90%-lean ground beef, or 93%-lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, or 1/4 cup instant brown rice
- 2 large ripe but firm tomatoes, (about 8 ounces each)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup petite green peas, (cooked, if fresh; thawed, but not cooked, if frozen)
- 1/8 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1/2 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, made from day-old whole-wheat bread (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
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Cook ground beef or turkey in a small skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with a spoon, until brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
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using cooked rice, go to Step 4. To prepare instant brown rice, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice, return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
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Add cooked rice to the bowl with the meat.
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Meanwhile, slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pulp and add to the bowl with the rice and meat. (Reserve the remaining pulp for another use; see Kitchen Tips.) Season the inside of the tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
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Add peas, onion, 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes and place the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish.
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Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes.
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Bake the tomatoes until the crumbs are golden and the tomatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.