BAKED TOMATOES STUFFED WITH SALMON, GARLIC, AND CAPERS

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Salmon, Garlic, and Capers image

Provided by Food Network

Time 50m

Yield 4 individual appetizer serving

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground
2 large, ripe, firm tomatoes, weighing approximately 3/4 pound each
1 tablespoon capers, preferably packed in salt
1 pound salmon
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon very finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fine, dry, unflavored bread crumbs

Steps:

Drain the capers if packed in vinegar. Soak, rinse, and drain if packed in salt, then chop fine. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the salmon's skin, any loose membranes, and carefully pick out all the bones. Dice the fish finely and put it in a bowl, together with 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, the chopped parsley, garlic, capers, 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs, salt, and several grindings of black pepper. Toss thoroughly. Wash the tomatoes, cut them horizontally in half, and scoop out all the seeds and the centers to make a cup-like hollow. Pat the insides of the tomatoes with paper towels to soak up excess juice, then stuff the tomatoes with the salmon mixture, pressing it down lightly as you do so. There should be enough to form a mound. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, holding back a few drops of the oil to smear the bottom of a baking pan. Place the tomatoes in the oiled baking pan and bake in the upper level of the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until the salmon stuffing has formed a light golden crust. Serve not piping hot, but lukewarm. The dish is also good later, not reheated but at room temperature.;