Tomato-love

In her article entitled, So Many Tomatoes To Stuff in A Week, Melissa Clark shares with us her inability to walk away from a farmer’s market without an overflowing satchel of tomatoes in tow. The article chronicles her 7-day tomato-induced rampage as she struggles to answer the question, what am I going to do with all of these tomatoes? There are recipes for Multi colored Tomato Tartlets, Gazpacho with Watermelon and Avocado, and even Green Tomato and Lemon Marmalade…ah yum!
Inspired by her ripe and riveting recipes, I decided it was time I engaged in a little bit of tomato-love myself and I rushed out to the store to purchase some beefsteaks. There were no farmer’s markets to be found, so I stopped by my favorite fruit and veg stand on 7th avenue in Park Slope and found myself some of Jersey’s ripest reds then got to work on yet another Claudia Roden recipe from her book, Arabesque. These stuffed tomatoes made the perfect summertime meal and my friend Kara and I enjoyed them nestled in a bed of Roasted Sweet and Sour Carrots, lemon and ginger wheat berries, and a bottle of Pierre Chermette Beaujolais.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Roasted Peppers, Tuna, Capers and Olives

2 red bell peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 7oz. can of Albacore Tuna, flaked
2 tsp capers
3tsp chopped black olives
peel of 1/2 preserved lemon, chopped
2tbsp chopped parsley or mint
5 large beefsteak tomatoes

1.) Roast Peppers by placing them on a baking pan and placing them into a preheated broiler, 2 1/2 t0 3 1/2 inches from flame. Turn them until their skins are black and blistered on all sides. 2.) When peppers are cool, remove and discard the stem and seeds and dice.
3.) Mix peppers and all other ingredients except the tomatoes.
4.) Cut small circles around the stalk of each tomato and cut out a cap. Remove the center and seeds with a pointed teaspoon. Fill the cavities with the pepper mixture and replace caps.
5.) Place tomatoes on a shallow baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 20-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft.
6.) I served my tomatoes cold at Claudia's suggestion. Do not refrain from sprinkling these beauties with a bit if feta or Manchego cheese.