introduction

Tomatoes are a staple across many cultures with numerous varieties, from beefsteak and Roma plum, cocktail, green and Heirloom (to name but a few). These are all suitable for different dishes around the world. The tomato plant is actually a fruit, though we commonly treat it as a vegetable to make many dishes from the base, such as fresh raw Spanish Gazpacho, the world famous Margherita pizza and of course classic tomato ketchup. I like to eat fresh tomatoes in season simply dressed with a little lemon juice, the best olive oil you can get your hands on, sea salt and fresh torn basil leaves - very simple yet beautiful.

ingredients

  • ingredients for lamb:
  • 4 Beef tomatoes (tops removed & seeds scooped out, sprinkle inside with a little salt & leave upside down for 20 minutes)
  • 200g Grass fed Lamb mince
  • 1 tbls. Olive oil
  • 150g chopped tomatoes
  • 100ml poultry stock
  • 1 tbls. Red wine vinegar
  • 1 onion peeled & diced
  • 2 cloves Crushed garlic
  • 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Handful breadcrumbs
  • ingredients for spiced crumb:
  • Handful breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp. Za,tar
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Drizzle of Olive oil

 

method

  1. Heat the oil over high heat in a flameproof casserole then fry the mince until well-browned then set aside.
  2. Add a little more oil with onions and garlic to the same dish and soften over medium heat (this will take 5 to 6 minutes).
  3. Add a pinch of sugar, the vinegar and chilli pepper flakes then cook for a few minutes.
  4. Next add chopped tomatoes and stock then simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the lamb to the sauce, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce rich. Remove from heat and fold through a little breadcrumbs at a time until you have a good thick sauce.
  6. For the spiced crumb simply mix together the crumbs with za'atar, a pinch of sea salt and drizzle of olive oil.

to cook:

  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C /180°C fan assisted (gas 5).
  2. Spoon the mince into the scooped out tomatoes, top with the seasoned breadcrumbs, then bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes until the crumbs are golden and the filling piping hot.

to serve:

Serve the tomatoes piping hot alongside baked feta cheese with a drizzle of honey and dusted with Arabica Dukkah, flatbreads and a glass of chilled Rose from Provence.

Note: any left over mince can be used to stuff tomatoes for a quick and simple lunch. We also topped with sliced mozzarella instead of the breadcrumbs which is a lovely alternative.