Stuffed Roasted Tomato with Roasted Portobello and Pesto Orzo

Roasted Tomatoes:
4 large, ripe but firm tomatoes
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper

Pesto:
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 cloves fresh garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ t fresh lemon juice
¼ - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Stuffing:
½ cup red wine or cooking wine
2 T low sodium soy sauce
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 small cloves garlic, crushed
1 T olive oil
2 small or 1 large Portobello mushroom cap, stem removed
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut in half lengthwise.
2 T chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
½ cup whole-wheat orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions

Preheat oven to 250 deg. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water 1 minute; remove skins. Core tomatoes and scoop out seeds, leaving a thick wall and bottom. Place tomatoes on foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and divide 1 T balsamic vinegar evenly among tomatoes, swirling to coat inside surface. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hr 30 minutes, turning upside down halfway through cooking to allow excess liquid to drain. Remove from oven and keep warm.

Meanwhile, mix the red wine, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and 1 T olive oil. Place Portobello mushroom caps gill-side-up in a shallow dish and cover with marinade. Allow to sit at least 30 minutes.

While mushrooms marinate, prepare pesto. Rinse basil leaves and blanch 30 seconds in boiling water, then drain and submerge in ice water to prevent further cooking. Drain and squeeze out excess water until quite dry. Place basil into bowl of food processor along with pine nuts, parmesan, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until all ingredients are finely ground, stopping to scrape down sides if necessary. With food processor running, add lemon juice and olive oil until well mixed; adjust seasonings. Consistency should be spreadable, not runny.

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil, brush with olive oil. Flatten red bell pepper halves with hand and place skin side up on baking sheet; brush with olive oil. Remove mushroom caps from marinade and drain excess, reserve marinade. Place gill-side-up on baking sheet. Broil vegetables 4” from heat for 15 minutes until mushrooms soften and bell peppers char. Turn mushrooms over and brush with marinade about halfway through cooking time. Allow peppers to cool until able to be handled; peel off and discard skin. Chop roasted mushrooms and bell pepper into ¼” dice. Mix with cooked orzo, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and 1/3 cup pesto. (Reserve remaining pesto for another use.)

Stuff filling into roasted tomatoes taking care not to overstuff and tear tomatoes. If tomatoes seem too soft, place in oven-safe ramekins. Heat in a 350 degree oven 5-10 minutes until evenly heated and serve warm.

This recipe was developed for the 2008 Tomato Art Fest and was adapted from a favorite grilled Portobello and roasted red pepper “burger” recipe which also includes provolone cheese and fresh spinach served on a toasted whole wheat bun. The pesto recipe is a summertime staple in my house, made with homegrown basil from my garden and is fabulous with pasta and vegetables, as a sandwich spread, or thinned with additional olive oil for a dip with fresh bread. Soy or rice “parmesan” can be used to make the recipe vegan.

Leslie Allen
Nashville, TN