Stuffed Tomatoes with Bacon
By Christie MorrisonPublished on March 31, 2014
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes draining
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)1 tablespoon sugar Kosher salt and pepper 4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup panko bread crumbs 3 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (¾ cup)3 slices bacon, chopped fine1 onion, halved and sliced thin2 garlic cloves, minced⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes 8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse1 cup couscous ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Before You Begin
Look for large tomatoes, about 3 inches in diameter.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut top 1/2 inch off stem end of tomatoes and set aside. Using melon baller, scoop out tomato pulp and transfer to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Press on pulp with wooden spoon to extract juice; set aside juice and discard pulp. (You should have about 2/3 cup tomato juice; if not, add water as needed to equal 2/3 cup.)
- Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon salt in bowl. Sprinkle each tomato cavity with 1 teaspoon sugar mixture, then turn tomatoes upside down on plate to drain for 30 minutes.
- Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and panko in 10-inch skillet and toast over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cheddar. Cook bacon in now-empty skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Discard fat and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach, 1 handful at a time, and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in couscous, lemon zest, and reserved tomato juice. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit until couscous has absorbed liquid, about 7 minutes. Transfer couscous mixture to bowl and stir in bacon and remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Coat bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Blot tomato cavities dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Pack each tomato with couscous mixture, about 1/2 cup per tomato, mounding excess. Top stuffed tomatoes with 1 heaping tablespoon panko mixture. Place tomatoes in prepared dish. Season reserved tops with salt and pepper and place in empty spaces in dish.
- Bake, uncovered, until tomatoes have softened but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spatula, transfer to serving platter. Whisk vinegar into oil remaining in dish, then drizzle over tomatoes. Place tops on tomatoes and serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes drainingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and pepper
4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
3 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (¾ cup)
3 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
1 cup couscous
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and pepper
4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
3 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (¾ cup)
3 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
1 cup couscous
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and pepper
4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
3 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (¾ cup)
3 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
1 cup couscous
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To concentrate flavor and get rid of excess moisture, we season the hollowed-out tomato shells with salt and sugar and let them drain. For the filling, couscous proved the best base, and rehydrating it with the tomato water drained from the flavorful tomato flesh and seeds made perfect sense. Sautéed onion, garlic, and crispy bacon add savory depth to the filling, red pepper flakes and lemon zest brighten it, and shredded Gruyère cheese makes for a cohesive texture. A topping of panko bread crumbs—pre-toasted for proper browning—and more cheese adds crunch, and a drizzle of the cooking liquid mixed with vinegar is the final touch.
Before You Begin
Look for large tomatoes, about 3 inches in diameter.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut top 1/2 inch off stem end of tomatoes and set aside. Using melon baller, scoop out tomato pulp and transfer to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Press on pulp with wooden spoon to extract juice; set aside juice and discard pulp. (You should have about 2/3 cup tomato juice; if not, add water as needed to equal 2/3 cup.)
- Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon salt in bowl. Sprinkle each tomato cavity with 1 teaspoon sugar mixture, then turn tomatoes upside down on plate to drain for 30 minutes.
- Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and panko in 10-inch skillet and toast over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cheddar. Cook bacon in now-empty skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Discard fat and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach, 1 handful at a time, and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in couscous, lemon zest, and reserved tomato juice. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit until couscous has absorbed liquid, about 7 minutes. Transfer couscous mixture to bowl and stir in bacon and remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Coat bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Blot tomato cavities dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Pack each tomato with couscous mixture, about 1/2 cup per tomato, mounding excess. Top stuffed tomatoes with 1 heaping tablespoon panko mixture. Place tomatoes in prepared dish. Season reserved tops with salt and pepper and place in empty spaces in dish.
- Bake, uncovered, until tomatoes have softened but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spatula, transfer to serving platter. Whisk vinegar into oil remaining in dish, then drizzle over tomatoes. Place tops on tomatoes and serve.
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