Kofte, salad and savory ricotta gratin: Claire Thomson's tomato recipes
Whole Tomato Kofte
I made these during a live cooking session with Ulrika Jonsson, home cooking champion (among many other wonderful things) and my muse at the other end of the camera. The session was great fun, the two of us with a drink in hand, as the rain poured down here in Bristol and one or other of my children filmed me at the barbecue with an umbrella (to no avail: I got soaked). Ulrika looked much cooler and more elegant, with her dog and youngest daughter for company. I'm aware that sometimes I can cook at such speed (it's the chef in me) that people have a hard time keeping up, but Ulrika kept pace and the night was a riot, albeit virtual, such was "the thing" in the summer of 2020.
Preparation 15 minCooking 50 minFor 4 people
50g coarse bulgur 16 good tomatoes halved horizontally500g ground lamb½ onion, very finely diced30g butter4 garlic cloves, peeled, 3 thinly sliced, 1 halved 200g passata, or tinned chopped tomatoesSalt and black pepper
For the salad, chopped½–1 cucumber, finely dicedThe seeds of 1 pomegranate½–1 large red or green bell pepper, stem, seeds and skin removed and discarded, flesh finely diced1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley or mint, leaves picked and coarsely choppedJuice of ½ lemon
To serveFlat breads, such as pide, lavash or p ita150g full-fat plain yoghurt, seasoned with a good pinch of saltPickles½ lemon, cut into wedgesChilli flakes, prefer ably aleppo or urfa, for sprinklingGround sumac, for sprinkling
Pour the bulgur in a pan of salted water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain and leave to cool in the colander.
Take the flesh and seeds of the tomatoes cut in half, reserve them both as well as the juice. Season the cavities with salt and turn them cavity side down on a plate, to catch the remaining juice.
Pour in the mince, cooled bulgur, onion, one teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the mixer and mix on high speed for about two minutes, until sticky and cohesive (or mix with hand).
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for two minutes, until fragrant. Add passata and tomato juice, season and simmer for at least 15-20 minutes, until thickened, then set aside.
Heat grill over heat crisp and heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/Gas 6. Pour the tomato sauce into a 25cm round ovenproof dish (or similar).
Divide and shape the meat mix into 16 equal balls the size of a ping pong table. Place a ball in a hollowed-out tomato half and cover with the other hollowed-out half, thus enveloping the ball. Repeat with the remaining meatballs and tomato halves, then arrange them side by side in the dish.
Grill for three to five minutes, until until the tomatoes begin to blister and blacken, then bake for eight to 10 minutes - a little pink is fine with the meat, but cook to your liking. Remove from the oven and let stand for about five minutes.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the chopped salad in a bowl and season to taste.
To serve, briefly heat the flatbreads under the broiler, then top with the stuffed tomatoes and chopped salad, as well as the seasoned yogurt, pickles and lemon wedges, with chili flakes and sumac to sprinkle.Tomatoes with peaches, grapes, feta and oregano
I made these during a live cooking session with Ulrika Jonsson, home cooking champion (among many other wonderful things) and my muse at the other end of the camera. The session was great fun, the two of us with a drink in hand, as the rain poured down here in Bristol and one or other of my children filmed me at the barbecue with an umbrella (to no avail: I got soaked). Ulrika looked much cooler and more elegant, with her dog and youngest daughter for company. I'm aware that sometimes I can cook at such speed (it's the chef in me) that people have a hard time keeping up, but Ulrika kept pace and the night was a riot, albeit virtual, such was "the thing" in the summer of 2020.
Preparation 15 minCooking 50 minFor 4 people
50g coarse bulgur 16 good tomatoes halved horizontally500g ground lamb½ onion, very finely diced30g butter4 garlic cloves, peeled, 3 thinly sliced, 1 halved 200g passata, or tinned chopped tomatoesSalt and black pepper
For the salad, chopped½–1 cucumber, finely dicedThe seeds of 1 pomegranate½–1 large red or green bell pepper, stem, seeds and skin removed and discarded, flesh finely diced1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley or mint, leaves picked and coarsely choppedJuice of ½ lemon
To serveFlat breads, such as pide, lavash or p ita150g full-fat plain yoghurt, seasoned with a good pinch of saltPickles½ lemon, cut into wedgesChilli flakes, prefer ably aleppo or urfa, for sprinklingGround sumac, for sprinkling
Pour the bulgur in a pan of salted water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain and leave to cool in the colander.
Take the flesh and seeds of the tomatoes cut in half, reserve them both as well as the juice. Season the cavities with salt and turn them cavity side down on a plate, to catch the remaining juice.
Pour in the mince, cooled bulgur, onion, one teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the mixer and mix on high speed for about two minutes, until sticky and cohesive (or mix with hand).
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for two minutes, until fragrant. Add passata and tomato juice, season and simmer for at least 15-20 minutes, until thickened, then set aside.
Heat grill over heat crisp and heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/Gas 6. Pour the tomato sauce into a 25cm round ovenproof dish (or similar).
Divide and shape the meat mix into 16 equal balls the size of a ping pong table. Place a ball in a hollowed-out tomato half and cover with the other hollowed-out half, thus enveloping the ball. Repeat with the remaining meatballs and tomato halves, then arrange them side by side in the dish.
Grill for three to five minutes, until until the tomatoes begin to blister and blacken, then bake for eight to 10 minutes - a little pink is fine with the meat, but cook to your liking. Remove from the oven and let stand for about five minutes.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the chopped salad in a bowl and season to taste.
To serve, briefly heat the flatbreads under the broiler, then top with the stuffed tomatoes and chopped salad, as well as the seasoned yogurt, pickles and lemon wedges, with chili flakes and sumac to sprinkle.Tomatoes with peaches, grapes, feta and oregano
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