JAMBALAYA STUFFED TOMATOES

JAMBALAYA STUFFED TOMATOES image

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

4 large ripe tomatoes, firm.
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped regular onion
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup cubed ham (1/4")
16-20 large shrimp, split or 32-40 mediums uncooked (I usually use tiger prawns)
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. Thyme or 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped.
1/2 tsp. Cumin
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated
Garlic bread crumbs (optional)

Steps:

Warm up the oven, hot, 400 degrees. Cut the tops off the tomatoes and discard. Hollow out the hulls and set aside the meat. seeds and juices. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the tomatoes. In a large frying pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and add the onions. Cook for two minutes on med/high heat. Add the ham and the sliced green pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the rice, cumin and the thyme, just cook till warmed and remove from heat. Fill the tomatoes with the mixture, tucking the uncooked shrimp in with it. If you make 2 or 6 or whatever, I use the tomato pulp as a filler if I don't have enough. After you've filled them, pour just enough chicken broth into each tomato to keep everything moist. In almost every instance that I make this, I have leftover rice, tomato etc. Just line the bottom of your glass pan with the extra and bake it with the tomatoes. Fire em in the oven, 400 degrees, for about 20 minutes. While these are baking, prepare the bread crumb topping. Crush one clove of garlic and chop it finely. Cook it in a medium frying pan until it browns in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Finely cube two slices of bread into 1/4" cubes and add these to the frying pan, stir frying until crisp and browned. In the last few minutes of baking, top each tomato with bread brumbs and parmesan and finish in the oven, baking til the paremsan melts. This goes well with warmed breads and a nice light Riesling.