Okay, tomates farcies really just means stuffed tomatoes, but doesn’t it sound better when it’s pronounced the French way? (pronunciation hint: toe-maht far-see).
It can be a little intimidating to contemplate as a recipe, but it’s easier than it looks. I would just give yourself a full two hours before you’re ready to eat for the full preparation and cooking so that your heart is easy.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), then start with six large, red, round tomatoes. The best ones are from the garden, of course, but that’s not always a possibility. I think this is a great dish to make in the fall because red tomatoes are still a possibility, and with all that warm, rich preparation it does a belly good on a brisk day.
Cut the top off the tomato, but don’t throw it away. You’re going to then cut off the cone part of the top so that it’s flat. Like this.
(The cone part you can throw away).
Then empty the tomato of its insides, leaving some flesh around the skin. Garden tomatoes are easier to empty, and if you have trouble with any of the rest, use a knife to slice up the inside, trying to do so without piercing the skin. (Impossible). Try not to feel like a tomato murderer (also impossible).
Then use a spoon to dig out the rest. Sprinkle some salt on the inside of the tomato.
When you have your six tomatoes, take a shallot and two cloves of garlic and mince them. Sauté them in a half tablespoon of olive oil until they are soft. Try not to brown them to a near crisp, like I did. Ahem. Just soft.
Then it’s time to prepare the rest of the filling. Wash a half pound of mushrooms and put them in the Cuisinart – blend into tiny pieces. Add a half pound of ground sausage (not seasoned). Then you need the teaspoons of thyme and salt, the tablespoon of dijon mustard, and the quarter teaspoon of pepper. Add an egg, and you’re ready to blend it all up into a smooth consistency.
Using an ice cream scoop, fill the six tomatoes with the mixture. Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of Parmesan on the filling, and then you can top it with the tomato hat. Like so.
Cute, huh?
It’s almost ready to cook, but wait – there’s more. We’re going to serve this with rice, so there’s an additional step before it goes into the oven. Pour two cups of white wine into the pan and then put the pan in the oven. (Most of you know we use alcohol-free wine in our house, even for the cooking). Set the timer for 20 minutes.
While that’s in the oven, rinse two cups of basmati rice and drain it. Put the rice in a large sauce pan with two cups of water, a teaspoon of salt and a large chicken bouillon cube.
You’re going to cook that, uncovered, over medium heat until all the water is absorbed. It takes about ten minutes or so, and if you hear it boiling, you should turn the heat down to low. Keep an eye on it, though, because once the water is absorbed, it will quickly start to burn.
When there is no more water, the rice will look cooked, but it’s not.
And when the twenty minutes are up, the tomatoes look like this:
Tons of juice from the wine and mushrooms fill the pan. Using a large spoon, scoop all the partially cooked rice into the pan, and then using a smaller spoon, make sure it’s well mixed with the liquid so that it has a good chance of being cooked evenly.
Put it back in the oven for 30 more minutes, and it’s done!
Done. And ready to eat. (Or freeze, actually, if it’s too much for one family).
Then you can enjoy tomates farcies twice!
PS I just wanted to give a HUGE THANKS for everyone who votes for me. My blog made it into the top five Circle of Mom European Blogs.
- 6 tomatoes
- Stuffing:
- 500g (half pound) unseasoned ground sausage
- 250g (quarter pound) mushrooms
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ T olive oil
- 1t salt
- 1t thyme
- 1T dijon mustard
- ¼t pepper
- 1 egg
- 1-2t Parmesan
- Rice:
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups wine
- 2 cups rice
- 1 large chicken bouillon
- 1 t salt
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or 375°F
- Clean the tomatoes, remove the top and the insides.
- Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes.
- Mince the shallots and garlic, and sauté in oil until soft.
- Wash and mince the mushrooms in blender.
- Add all the other stuffing ingredients, except for the Parmesan. Don't forget the shallot-garlic mix that has been cooked.
- Scoop into tomatoes.
- Top with Parmesan and the tomato hat.
- Pour the wine in the pan and put into the oven for 20 minutes.
- During that time, wash the rice and drain. Cook it with the bouillon and water until all the water is absorbed.
- Remove the tomatoes from oven, and mix the rice in with the liquid in the pan. Put it back in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Ooh… this does look like the prefect dish for a fall day. I have never attempted stuffed tomatoes before, but I have done peppers a few times, long ago.
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted…Head and Shoulders
I’m thinking my life would be 10 X easier if I purchased a food processor. I don’t know why I’m 37 and I still don’t have proper kitchen utensils? 🙂
Ameena recently posted…some things are not attainable
You know what you totally need in addition to the food processor, you who hates a mess in the kitchen? An immersion blender. That way you can blend soups and sauces right in the pot and not make a mess pouring stuff into the food processor. But it’s true it doesn’t work on mushrooms.
YUM! I need to get a food processor too.
Connie Keller recently posted…The Open Door
Yes, it’s an essential kitchen item!
Yum! I have stuffed peppers before but never tomatoes. Recipe seems simple enough… for me.
Tonya recently posted…With Love
It’s actually not that bad. I just know that some of my readers are novices in the kitchen. Yes, stuffed peppers are yum. And France even has little round zucchinis that are perfect for stuffing too. (I had never seen that in the States).
Again, can I come over for dinner? Please please please?
Alison recently posted…Writing The Hard Stuff
That’s the plan right? Next year? You’ll have to send me the menu in advance. 😀
Looks great!!
ok, so how did you get the innards out without the tomato massacre? I can’t even cut the damn things into slices without mashing them.
And you can freeze tomatoes like that? Do they come out super mushy when you defrost them? So many questions….ha!
Kimberly recently posted…I Am “Monique”
I don’t know why this freezes well, but maybe it’s because it’s already cooked and is stuffed with sausage? But it does freeze well. And it’s hard to get the innards out. Use a sharp spoon! 😉
Looks wonderful. I’m inspired to make a vegetarian version – maybe replace the meat with breadcrumbs? I’m also thinking the tomatoes might be nice with goat cheese. Any other thoughts on making ‘tomates farcies’ veggie?
Hi Joy!
When I’ve made vegetarian versions, I’ve made it successfully with quinoa or rice. But in that case, I would cook either one separately (maybe perfume it with the wine, bouillon, water, garlic, shallots, salt) as it cooks and then purée that with the mushrooms. If you’re going to use goat cheese, I would let that melt on top instead of mixing it inside. And in that case, green pepper might taste good in the rice-mushroom mixture as well.
Just a thought. Happy eating!
Oh, can you fix that for us the next time we visit?
Absolutely!!
I adore tomate farci!! This works very well with aubergine too.
Tinne from Tantrums and Tomatoes recently posted…About a dress
I have to try the eggplant one – what a great idea.
Yum yum yum! I love the way you cooked the rice. When I make this dish I will insist that we all speak to each other in our limited French in your honor.
Andrea recently posted…DIY: The Most Delicious Quickie Lasagna
Don’t ever leave me Andrea. Who will make me laugh?
My mom made this often while I was growing up but I swear I haven’t had it in 20 years!
Andi recently posted…San Francisco by Night