Provencal Tomatoes

There are still great tomatoes on the prairie -- but perhaps not after this weekend -- other than the green tomatoes everyone brings in before our forecasted frost. Windowsills full of green tomatoes which will hopefully ripen. The last of the crop and perhaps the best.

We eat tomatoes every way we can during the summer -- from thick slices sprinkled with salt and pepper (and perhaps a shower of basil) to fresh tomato soup, fresh tomato sauce for pasta, roasted cherry and pear tomatoes and this -- a favorite -- provencal tomatoes.
They're great with any roasted or grilled meat. Especially superior with a grilled Kansas City strip. We like them with steak even better than the proverbial baked potato.
They're not all that hard to make and we usually have all the ingredients on hand. There are many recipes for these tomatoes and they are all very similar. This one is from my favorite, Ina Garten. They can be served right from the oven or at room temperature which makes them a great dish for a buffet. They add a nice color to a buffet as well.

Since tomato season is so short, when the days cool, we find tomatoes being a part of most meals. It will be, after all, a long winter and even longer spring before fresh tomatoes are on our table again. We take advantage of fresh tomatoes while we can!

Please join my friend, Michael, at Designs by Gollum, to see what other tempting and tantalizing treats there are for this Foodie Friday.

Provencal Tomatoes

6 ripe tomatoes (2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter)

1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)(2 scallions)

1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves

2 T. minced fresh flat leaf parsley

2 t. minced garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 t. fresh thyme leaves

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. grated Gruyere cheese

good olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cute the cores from the tomatoes, removing as little as possible. Cut them in half crosswise and with your fingers, remove the seeds and juice. Place the tomato halves in a baking dish.

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, scallions, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme and 1 t. salt. Sprinkle the tomato halves generously with salt and pepper. With your hands, fill the cavities and cover the tops of the tomatoes with the bread crumb mixture. Bake the tomatoes for 15 minutes or until they're tender. Sprinkle with the cheese, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 30 seconds more. Serve hot or at room temperature.