Tomatoes Stuffed With Barley Cilantro And Almonds Food

LEMON, GARLIC, AND CILANTRO BAKED STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
• For the baked stuffed tomatoes you need to make 4 tomato cups out of your 2 tomatoes. To do so, cut a very thin slice off both ends of each of the 2 tomatoes, this is to create 4 flat bottoms. Then cut each tomato in half across its circumference. You should have 4 cup shapes, using the thinly sliced side as the bottom of the cups. To create a cavity, use a melon ball scoop to remove the seeds and pulp from the wide, fleshy side of each tomato cup. You don't have to be too fussy about this. You are just trying to create enough room to hold the filling. When scooping take some care not to puncture through the bottoms of the cups. If you do puncture it, don't worry, it is not the end of the world, just keep moving forward. Season the inside of the tomato cavities with salt and pepper. Reserve the seasoned tomato cups while you make the filling.
• In a small mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, cilantro, parsley, garlic, scallions, Parmigiano and season with salt and pepper. Taste the mixture. This is your last chance to adjust the seasoning. Once you're happy with the flavor, add the egg yolk and mix thoroughly. Divide the filling between the 4 tomato cup cavities, pushing it into the cavity with a rubber spatula or spoon. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil into a baking dish. Arrange your stuffed tomatoes in the dish, transfer to the hot oven, and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. The stuffing and the tomatoes should be fully cooked and the top should be lightly brown.

TOMATO BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and oil and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are almost tender.
• Then add the water, fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, barley and ground black pepper.
• Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until barley is tender.

JAMBALAYA-STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
• Remove the tops from tomatoes; scoop out the insides. Chop the tomato meat and set aside for later use. Liberally season the insides of tomatoes with salt and black pepper.
• Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and green onion until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add green pepper, ham, rice, and thyme; cook until warmed, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Fill each tomato with the rice mixture, 2 to 3 shrimp, and reserved tomato meat. Pour about 1 tablespoon chicken broth into each tomato. Place tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Spoon any leftover rice mixture and tomato meat around the stuffed tomatoes in the baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle tomatoes with Parmesan cheese and bake until cheese is melted, 3 to 5 more minutes.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH BULGUR AND HERBS

Steps:

• Place the bulgur in a bowl and add 1/4 teaspon salt. Mix together. Bring 1 cup water to a boil, and pour over the bulgur. Allow to sit for 30 minutes or until the bulgur is soft and fluffy. Transfer to a strainer and press out excess water. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice off the tops of the tomatoes, about 3/4 inch down from the stem (or far enough down that it will be easy for you to hollow them out). Using a teaspoon or a grapefruit spoon, carefully scoop out the seeds, taking care not to cut through the skins. Place in a strainer set above a bowl. Rub the seed pods against the strainer to extract the juice. Discard the seeds. Carefully scoop out the pulp, and chop fine.
• Mix together the bulgur, herbs, garlic, pine nuts, the chopped tomato pulp, 1/4 cup of the strained juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Season the hollowed out tomatoes with salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with the bulgur filling (you may have some stuffing left over). Place in a baking dish that is small enough to fit the tomatoes snugly. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each one, and place the caps on top. Pour about 1/2 inch of water into the pan, and cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Serve warm, or allow to cool to room temperature.
• Puree the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Stir into the yogurt, along with the mint. Serve the stuffed tomatoes with a dollop of the yogurt.

STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES WITH MINTED BARLEY CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Soak the barley in enough cold water to cover for 30 minutes and drain well.
• Bring the barley and enough water to cover to a boil. Reduce and simmer until tender, 40 minutes. Strain, transfer to a bowl of ice water, let cool for 1 minute. Strain again, letting water drain from barley.
• Combine barley, tomato, cucumber, parsley, mint and scallions in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Cut the core from the cherry tomatoes and make two cuts in the tomato to open it up like a flower. Stuff each tomato with some of the salad, and serve on a chilled platter.
• (Note: Barley can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, tomatoes can be stuffed up to 6 hours in advance.).

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH BARLEY, CILANTRO AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Cut a lid off the top of the tomatoes and empty tomatoes of their pulp.
• Keep 2 ½ cups of the tomato flesh and pulp it (you may freeze the rest for future use, or puree to use in a sauce in the next day or two).
• Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.
• In a deep frying-pan, heat half the oil and saute the onion until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
• Add cilantro and pearl barley and saute, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
• Add 2 cups of the tomato pulp and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in almonds and herbs.
• Season to taste, and stuff tomatoes with this mixture, distributing equally.
• Replace lids on tomatoes.
• Put tomatoes in a baking pan large enough to contain them all fairly snugly and fill the gaps with wedges of potato.
• Puree remaining tomato with ½ cup oil and ½ cup water.
• Season to taste.
• Pour this over the tomatoes.
• Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Turn off oven and leave tomatoes in oven 15 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature before serving (they are best that way).
• Serve with feta cheese and crusty bread.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH GUACAMOLE

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice from stem end of each tomato and scoop out and discard seeds with a small spoon. Carefully scoop out pulp to form a tomato shell, then finely chop pulp.
• Drizzle inside of each tomato shell with oil and lime juice and let stand at room temperature while making guacamole.
• Pit and peel avocados and coarsely mash with a fork in a bowl. Fold in chopped tomato pulp, onion, cilantro, chile, and salt, then spoon into tomato shells, mounding guacamole. Serve immediately.