This is an easy to make light meal which when tomatoes are in season (now) offers a great value for money tasty treat.
Stuffed Tomatoes, (Gemista)
Serves 4
- Using 6-8 ripe large or beef tomatoes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped finely
- 1/4 tsp all spice or a mixture of nutmeg and cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 150g beef mince (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic crushed or 2 tsps garlic granules
- 1 cup long grain/basmati rice
- handful chopped parsley fresh or 1/2 tsp dried
- handful chopped mint fresh or 1/4 tsp dried
- salt and black pepper to taste
- Cut through the tomatoes 2/3 of the way and place in a large dish
- Carefully remove the pulp mash and retain in a separate jug
- Heat 4 tbls of the 1/2 cup olive oil in a saucepan
- Add the onions and fry for 5 mins
- Add the mince and garlic and fry until the mice has browned
- Add the all spice and chilli powder and stir until well coated
- Add the rice,mint, parsley, and half of the tomato pulp and mix well
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Stuff the mixture into the emptied tomatoes and close over the lid.
- Do not over stuff as the rice will expand
- Add the remaining olive oil to the remaining tomato pulp, salt and pepper
- Pour the tomato mixture over the top of the tomatoes
- If you feel the dish looks dry add a little water to steam
- Put in a hot oven 200’c 400’F or gas mark 5 and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours
- Serve with a fresh salad or some crusty bread.
Living in Orkney you don’t always eat with the seasons and because of the change in this weeks weather I have decided for next weeks recipe we shall go back to winter and make a traditional Scotch Broth, for this you shall need Broth mix, a large leek and for easiness a stew pack of vegetables, I prefer lamb stock cubes for Broth but that choice I shall leave up to you.
