Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

Shuzbud's Note:

The creaminess of the feta blends beautifully with the fresh tomato and olive flavours. If you like, you can buy a block of feta cheese and save thin slices to top the tomatoes with, although I find it easier to buy cubes of feta.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0 tomatoes

• 4 medium to large tomatoes
• 1/2 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup cubed feta cheese (or more)
• 6 pitted black olives, sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F or 150°C (the lower temperature helps to stop the tomatoes from splitting).
2. Cook the rice in the hot water, simmering over a low heat in a covered pan for around 20 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, slice the tops off the tomatoes, just enough to reveal the seeds. Also cut a fine slice from the bottom of each tomato, so they can stand up straight but not enough to leave a hole.
4. Scoop the core and seeds out of each tomato to leave a shell, being careful to leave the base of the tomato intact.
5. While the rice is still cooking, make the vinaigrette- in a bowl, beat the olive oil and red wine vinegar until they are completely blended. Add the ground oregano and salt and pepper to taste and stir.
6. When the rice is fully cooked, remove from the heat. Add the cubed feta, black olives and vinaigrette, reserving 8 cubes of feta (or 4 slices if you have them) to place on top.
7. Spoon the mixture carefully into each tomato shell, until level with the top of the tomato, pressing down with the spoon so the filling is firmly packed in.
8. Top with the reserved cubes or slices of feta for presentation.
9. Bake on a baking tray lined with foil for around 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened.
10. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Lalaloula]

These tomatoes were really yummy! They were juicy and the rice filling had a great mediterranian flavour. It was however a little bit too sour for my taste. Also somehow my tomatoes came out done, but only lukewarm. So next time I will try baking them at a higher temperature covered with some aluminium foil for most of the baking time. I used fresh basil in place of the oregano as thats what I had on hand and it worked out nicely. Other than the small issues mentioned above the recipe was easy to prepare and very tasty. It also had a great presentation! THANKS SO MUCH for sharing it with us, Shuz! Made and reviewed for Everyday Is A Holiday Tag Game February 2010.