COUSCOUS-STUFFED TOMATOES WITH CURRANTS AND HERBS

Couscous-Stuffed Tomatoes with Currants and Herbs image

Yield Serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 9

four 1/2-pound tomatoes
1/4 cups dried currants
about 1 2/3 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup couscous
1/3 cup finely chopped scallion
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Steps:

Halve each tomato horizontally, scoop out and discard the seeds, and with a grapefruit knife scoop out the pulp, reserving it and leaving 1/3-inch-thick shells. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with salt and invert the tomato shells onto a rack to drain for 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan combine the currants with 1 cup of the broth and simmer them for 5 minutes. Drain the currants in a sieve set over a 2-cup measure, add enough of the remaining broth to measure 1 1/2 cups, and transfer the broth to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the couscous and let it stand, covered, off the heat for 5 minutes. Stir the couscous with a fork, breaking up any lumps, and toss it in a bowl with the currants, the reserved tomato pulp, chopped, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the scallion, the dill, the mint, the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Divide the couscous mixture among the tomato shells, mounding it, arrange the stuffed tomatoes in an oiled baking dish just large enough to hold them, and bake them, covered, in a preheated 325°F oven for 10 minutes. Serve the stuffed tomatoes warm or at room temperature.