Stuffed Baked Tomatos
with Royal of Leeks and Mushrooms
Serves 8
Ingredients:
4 T unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the dish
4 large beefsteak tomatoes
Kosher salt, about 2 T, plus more as needed for cooking
1 pound white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 T All-Purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 T bread crumbs
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound farfalle pasta (bowtie pasta)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Cut tomatoes in half; scoop out and discard pulp, leaving a thin shell. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt; invert on paper towels to drain for 15 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the butter and melt, Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring only occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8-12 minutes.
Add the leek and onion and cook until soft, about 4-6 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook until the flour smells nutty and is light brown in color. Add the cream, a splash at a time, whisking constantly and allowing the cream to cook in between each addition. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low, stirring until thickened then remove from the heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, and 1/3 cup of cheese. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon into tomato cups, place in prepared dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake uncovered until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. For serving, cut in half and serve on top of the farfalle pasta and garnish with finely minced parsley.
