Baked Stuffed Tomatoes Topped With Mashed Potato

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 large firm ripe tomatoes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk, warmed
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb 90% lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup carrot, finely minced
• 1/3 cup onion, minced
• 2 -4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon pecorino romano cheese
• scallion
• fresh basil

Recipe

• 1 mashed potatoes:.
• 2 boil potatoes in salted water till tender.
• 3 drain and mash with the butter, mayonnaise and milk. season with salt and pepper.
• 4 set aside.
• 5 prepare tomatoes:.
• 6 cut tops off of tomatoes. save lids as a garnish. scoop out insides of tomatoes, leaving outer layer intact. discard seeds, and dice pulp for use in filling.
• 7 sprinkle inside of tomatoes with salt, and invert onto paper towel to drain. let sit inverted while you prepare filling, at least 20 minutes.
• 8 pre heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• 9 prepare filling:.
• 10 over high heat brown beef, carrots, onions, garlic and cook until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. stirring often.
• 11 add the diced tomatoes that were set aside, salt, balsamic vinegar, pepper, oregano, and basil and stir in cook 2 more minutes. add 1/2 cup of the mashed potatoes to the meat mixture and mix in, using as a binder.
• 12 stuff each of the hollowed, tomatoes with 1/4 of the filling, mound 1/4 of the mashed potatoes on the meat filling. fork the potatoes so they have a texture: pour evenly the butter on each: then sprinkling the cheese.
• 13 place on parchment paper in a baking dish.
• 14 bake for 20 minutes until hot and then broil tops just to brown.
• 15 garnish by placing un-baked tomato top "lids" back on tomatoes at a slight angle, garnish with fresh basil or green onions.