| Tomatoes Stuffed with Pork and Mushrooms ~ A versatile food, used in salads, sandwiches, sauces or casseroles. One of the finest uses for tomatoes is a hot main course...stuffed. 8 medium to large tomatoes (about 3 1/2 pounds total weight) ¼ pound bulk sausage meat 1½ cups onion, finely chopped 2 tsp garlic, minced ½ pound lean pork, cut into cubes ¼ pound mushrooms, thinly sliced ½ tsp thyme, dried salt & pepper 2 tbsp butter 1 bay leaf 5 tbsp parsley, chopped fine 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup bread fine soft crumbs 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tbsp olive oil 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. 2. Cut out the stem of each tomato. Turn one tomato at a time on its side and cut a thin slice about 1/2 inch thick from the top of each. Scrape out the inside of each tomato, leaving a whole shell for stuffing. Chop the spooned out centers. There should be about 2 cups. Set aside. Pork Mixture 3. Heat the sausage meat in a skillet, chopping with one side of a heavy metal spoon to break up the lumps. Add 1 cup of the onion and half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion is wilted. Add the cubed pork and mushroom with the thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. Tomato Sauce Base 4. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the remaining onion and garlic. Cook until wilted, then add the scooped-out tomato and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, simmer for 5 minutes. (Remove bay leaf after 5 minutes of simmering). 5. When the pork mixture has cooked 10 minutes, spoon it into the container of a food processor. Blend until it is coarse-fine. Add 1/4 cup of the chopped parsley, the eggs, bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste. 6. Select a baking dish large enough to hold the tomatoes close together in one layer. Smooth the tomato sauce over the bottom. 7. Stuff the tomatoes with the pork mixture, smoothing it over, and arrange on the tomato sauce base. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and oil. 8. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serves 4 |
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