Recipe #29: Creamy Polenta-Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

Photo courtesy of www.finecooking.com

I bet you already know that tomatoes are a very versatile vegetables. They are great for making salsa for dipping your tortilla (NOT nacho) chips into. They work equally well for making wonderful sauces to smother your pastas in. Or, they can be diced and mixed with onions and olive oil to spread atop toasted pieces of bread to make a lovely bruschetta. Not to mention they can also be enjoyed cut up and added to just about any green salad.  See, very versatile.

I bet you didn’t know that, however, that not that long ago, I enjoyed all of the above mentioned permutations of tomatoes, but I kept telling myself that I did not like tomatoes themselves. How could that be?! Well, I don’t like a single tomato on its own, or with salt, or with mozzarella. But, as Matt keeps telling me, it’s because I have not yet had a GOOD and fresh tomato, the ones that farmers pick in the summer and bring to the markets, not the ones that ripen on the truck they are shipped in. I will give him that much; freshness makes all the difference! 

But, I’m coming around. And to prove it, I found and made this lovely little stuffed Tomato recipe (yup, you can also stuff tomatoes!). The creamy polenta (a variation of corn meal, I should add, which you all know I love!) fills the juicy pockets of tomatoes, then its topped with cheese and baked to perfection. It’s a great vegetarian dish all on its own, it cooks up pretty quickly, and it’s very filling. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. diced shallot
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup polenta
1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large Roma-style tomatoes
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the cream and then whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme and rosemary and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is tender, creamy, and thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400° F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and hollow them out. Cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each tomato half so the filled tomato can lie flat without rolling. Arrange the tomatoes on the baking sheet and season them lightly with salt. Fill each tomato half with some of the polenta, mounding just slightly (depending on the size of your tomatoes, you may or may not use all the polenta). Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbs. of cheese and the parsley over each. Bake until the tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.