Two years ago this month Mike and I went on our honeymoon to Greece.  We spent some time in Santorini and in Athens, but the highlight of our trip was our time in Crete.  The scenery, the history, the food… oh, the food.  We ate moussaka that was great and of course we ate gyro in Athens, but the dishes that aren’t served at typical Greek restaurants in America really blew us away.  Grilled octopus with olive oil, onion, and parsley. Cuttle fish with fennel.  Sea urchin roe spread on soft bread.  And of course tender snails, a delicious Cretan delicacy.  I can still taste the flavors.  Sitting in the outdoor cafes looking at the water chatting with the servers.  It was as if we were living in a movie.

We both agreed that the grill octopus was one of the best things we had ever eaten – ever.  But my husband’s second-favorite dish was the stuffed tomatoes.  I told him that I could probably recreate it when we got home, although there was no way it would ever be THAT good.  When we got back to Maryland and back to real life, I never got around to making the stuffed tomatoes.  To be very honest, I just never made it a priority.  I didn’t care for tomatoes so it seemed like a lot of work for something I wouldn’t even taste.  As you know, that has now changed. 

Two years later, I decided it was time for stuffed tomatoes.  Friends of mine recently had a baby and we were planning to bring them dinner this weekend; they’re vegetarians so this seemed like the perfect dish.  Hearty, healthy, seasonal and meatless.

This is Cat Cora’s recipe with a few minor tweaks.  All of the vegetables and herbs were fresh and local.  I love when that happens.  Plus, it really isn’t very difficult.  No need to tell everyone else that, though.  You’re going to love this dish… I promise!

Stuffed Tomatoes

- 6 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, seeded
- Olive oil – ¼ cup plus some for the pan and for drizzling (maybe like ¾ cup total)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 6 tablespoons raw rice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch parsley leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (toast them in a dry pan – they toast fast, so don’t leave them!)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- Feta for sprinkling

Cut the top off of the tomatoes and clean out all of the pulp leaving about a 1/2-inch thick skin. Reserve the pulp.  (I chopped the tops and put them in a salad.)

Preheat  the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat some oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion. Cook until the onions are golden brown, and add in the garlic. Don’t let the garlic burn!  Add in the pulp from the tomatoes and stir in the rice. Add in 1/4 cup olive oil and a little water (really a little…) and simmer until the rice is almost cooked through — not all the way. Add more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the parsley, pine nuts, and mint.   If you don’t have parsley and/or mint, you could use oregano and/or dill too.  Give it a taste to make sure it has enough seasoning.  Adjust as necessary.

Put the tomatoes in casserole dish and add the filling.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Put about half an inch of water in the bottom of the dish.  Bake for 45 minutes and then sprinkle the top with feta. Put the dish back in the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Happy honeymooniversay, Mike! Ready to go back?