Free heritage tomato seeds with the
September 2009 issue Burke's Backyard magazine!

With the September 2009 issue of ‘Burke’s Backyard’ magazine, on sale Monday, August 24, you’ll find a free packet of rare heritage tomato seeds attached to the front cover. There are four different tomato varieties in the seed pack, including the wonderful ‘Yellow Stuffing’ tomato, which is a variety that’s ideal for doing what its name says: stuffing!

Stuffing tomatoes are often (but not always) shaped a bit like a capsicum, and inside they even look like the inside of a capsicum, as the seeds are in a cluster in the middle and the rest is hollow. They also have good, thick walls ideal for baking. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, all of which are terrific for stuffing and baking.

And the other main thing to note is that you won’t find stuffing tomatoes for sale in any greengrocer shops or supermarkets. You’ll have to grow them yourself, and when you get the September issue of Burke’s Backyard you’ll have the seeds.

Yes, you can use other types of tomatoes for stuffing, but you may find some tomatoes bake better than others (the ones that don’t do well tend to fall apart!).

Inside the September issue of the magazine you'll find a great recipe for Bacon and Corn Stuffed Tomatoes, and for Don's 2UE listeners here's another great way to stuff tomatoes.

Tomatoes stuffed with rice

This recipe is for a super-simple stuffed tomato that makes good use of leftovers. It uses leftover risotto, or leftover fried rice or even leftover steamed rice if that’s all you have. Take your pick!

4 large ripe tomatoes
1 cup leftover risotto, or leftover fried rice, or leftover steamed rice.

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C while you prepare the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes, slice off the top of the tomato (but retain the top as a ‘lid’) and use a teaspoon to scoop out the tomato pulp (but retain it in a bowl), so you are left with four hollowed-out tomato shells. While you are preparing the other tomatoes and the filling, sit the prepared tomato shells face down on a plate, so any leftover liquid drains out.

2.
If you’re using leftover risotto, you don’t need to add anything to it, if you don’t want to. The risotto can go straight into the prepared tomato shells.
If you’re using leftover fried rice, chop some of the scooped-out tomato flesh to make 1/3 cup and stir this into the fried rice, to moisten it.
If you’re using leftover steamed rice, you’ll need to add a bit more flavour to the rice. So, in a frypan, heat half a tablespoon of oil and add 2 tablespoons onion and 1 crushed clove of garlic. Fry 2-3 minutes until the onion softens, then stir in the rice. Turn off the heat then stir in 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley and 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese. Combine well, then stir in 1/3 cup chopped tomato flesh.

3. Use a teaspoon to carefully fill the prepared tomato shells with filling and, when full, sit the lid on top (press it down lightly so it stays put). Sit the tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking tray or dish.

4. Place the tray of prepared tomatoes in the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes (see tip on cooking times), until the tomato skin is wrinkled and soft. Let them cool for a few minutes then serve as a side dish, or with a green salad as a light lunch.

Tips: start checking on the tomatoes after 15 minutes, as some varieties (such as supermarket truss tomatoes) will collapse at around that point. Other, thicker-walled tomatoes will need 25 minutes. It’s best to use a smallish baking tray so all the tomatoes fit in snugly together and help to support each other.

Copyright CTC Productions 2009