If you live in Chicago, you hear this a lot: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes.” That’s been so true the past few weeks when the temps have ranged from the single digits to record-breaking 60+ degrees. It can really throw you off balance when you’re wearing a T-shirt one day and a parka the next.
This weekend was so warm and sunny that I forgot it’s still winter. I even bought flowers for my window sill – daffodils, tulips and hyacinth. I’m so ready for Spring! I planned on making a nice, light salad today. But when the winds shifted from south to north and brought a winter storm system with it, hot food was clearly in order. This recipe strikes a compromise – a fresh basil pesto (which I mixed in with the quinoa stuffing and also drizzled over the top) with piping-hot tomatoes.
I love a crunchy topping on stuffed tomatoes and peppers. Instead of store-made breadcrumbs (but feel free to use them to save time!), I made my own using 4 Wasa brand whole grain crispbreads (4 ingredients – whole grain rye flour, water, yeast, salt). Using a rolling pin, I crushed them between 2 sheets of parchment which yielded just over 1/2 cup of crumbs. I seasoned them with basil, thyme, oregano, a pinch of salt and some olive oil to hold it together. They crisped up perfectly in the oven!
4 large beefsteak tomatoes – tops cut off and inside flesh/seeds removed
1 cup uncooked quinoa
dash of salt
Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pesto
2.5 ounces fresh basil – chopped and firmly packed to make about 1 cup
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Place the quinoa, 2 cups of water and a sprinkle of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Then fluff with a fork, cover and set aside. (This makes extra quinoa – bonus!)
- Place all pesto ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Place all breadcrumb ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork or your fingers until oil and herbs are evenly distributed.
- Cut off the top 1/3 of the tomatoes and scoop out the inner flesh and seeds (reserve them to throw in your next pot of soup). I find using a grapefruit knife makes this an easy task. Place the tomatoes in a glass baking dish. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the dish.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of cooked quinoa, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup of pesto. Mix together thoroughly. Divide the mixture between the 4 tomatoes, packing it firmly.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the aluminum foil, evenly divide the remaining breadcrumbs in mounds on top of the tomatoes, and bake for another 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve hot with remaining pesto drizzled over the top.
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