I have a love of foods that are stuffed. I adore the original one dish meal that comprises several ingredients, or even just a few, stuffed into either a vegetable, pasta or a protein. Even a twice-baked potato brimming with healthy additions is a joy.
With spring giving way to summer soon, I’m excited about all the heirloom tomatoes in our garden. It was time to begin testing some recipes for those precious heirlooms. I came up with a wonderful dish that is sure to please. However, it’s an old-fashioned recipe in that it isn’t a recipe at all. It’s more directional and you need to use your own instincts where amounts are concerned.
So, this is what I did: I cored and seeded my tomatoes. I sliced my homegrown leeks in half and then sliced them thinly crosswise and added to them to a sauté pan over medium heat. After a few minutes, as the leeks were beginning to caramelize, I added my homegrown spinach.
While that pair cooked, I chopped several mushrooms and some fresh jalapeno. Then I chopped a couple of garlic cloves.
As the spinach wilted down, I put the mushrooms and jalapeno in the sauté pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. When they softened, I added the garlic until it was aromatic.
When everything was cooked, I removed it from the heat. At this point, I mixed in about 1-2 tablespoons of goat cheese. I mixed the vegetables with the goat cheese until the cheese melted into a light and tangy sauce.
I stuffed each tomato with the vegetable and goat cheese mixture. Then I set them under the broiler just until the tomato softened.
I sprinkled the tomatoes with homegrown chopped chives and served them hot.
You can serve these with a protein or a pasta dish or even just some more vegetables.
