Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes
Baked Almond-Stuffed Tomatoes
- Prep time
- 1 hour PT1H
- Cook time
- 20 minutes PT20M
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
Fresh tomatoes, delicious almonds and rich Parmigiano Reggiano come together in this recipe to create a simple, satisfying dish. For a meaty variation, add a little Serrano ham, ground lamb or Italian sausage!
Ingredients
- 4 medium red tomatoes (about 8 ounces each)
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup almonds, chopped
- ¼ cup yellow onion, small diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons chives
- 2 tablespoons thyme
- ½ cup panko
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, small diced
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut a 1½-inch diameter circle off the top of each tomato, then use a spoon to scoop out the inside flesh (reserve for later). Turn each tomato on its side and slice a very thin piece from the bottom to create a stable base. Season inside each tomato with salt and cracked black pepper.
Place tomatoes upside-down in a casserole dish and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, separate reserved tomato flesh from seeds. Discard the seeds, then dice remaining tomato flesh and set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté almonds for 3 minutes, stirring continually, then add onion and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 1 more minute. Sprinkle in herbs, remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, stir in Parmigiano Reggiano, panko and 2 tablespoons olive oil and season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper.
Turn tomatoes right-side up in the casserole dish. Fill tomatoes with even amounts of the almond and herb mixture. Brush remaining olive oil on the outside of the tomatoes, then place dish in oven for 20 minutes. Remove promptly and allow tomatoes to cool slightly before serving.
Techniques used in this recipe:
- sauté
- sauté: a cooking method in which items are cooked quickly in a small amount of fat in a pan on the range top.
- brunoise
- brunoise (Fr.): small dice; 1/8-inch cube is the standard. For a brunoise cut, items are first cut in julienne, then cut crosswise. For a fine brunoise, 1/16-inch square, cut items first in fine julienne.
Glossary:
- thyme
-
The leaf of a bushy, low-growing perennial native to southern Europe; it belongs to the mint family. Principal producing areas are California and France. There are many varieties of thyme but two are primarily used - French Thyme and variegated or Lemon Thyme which is characterized by its fragrant, lemony aroma.
Thyme leaves flavor a wide range of dishes - from soups and stews to poultry and meats to sauces and vegetables. Try sautéing snap pea pods in olive oil with fresh thyme leaves and minced lemon zest; season with sea salt and cracked black pepper just prior to serving.
Pair with
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Chardonnay
A classic white wine made famous in Burgundy, France, it's now grown all over the world. It takes oak well and is often fermented and aged in oak barrels. Full bodied, with rich flavors of vanilla, butter, green apple and tropical fruit (banana, pineapple).
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Petite Sirah
Primarily cultivated in California, this varietal is distinct from true Syrah and is traditionally a blending grape. Left to itself, it often shows somewhat peppery flavors, and many consumers have come to love it.
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Sangiovese
Responsible for the three great wines of Tuscany: Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese is Italy's most famous grape.
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Tempranillo
Spain's most famous grape! Produces a refined wine that bursts with cherries when young. It is typically aged for two years or more, at which point Tempranillo takes on an earthy, sweet vanillan flavor.
