Provençal Herbed Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes with Fluffy Garlic Rice

Ingredients

• •6 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes
• •1 lb high-quality pork sausage meat
• •1 shallot, finely minced
• •6 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• •1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• •1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• •2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• •1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• •1 teaspoon dried oregano
• •1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• •3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• •1.5 cups jasmine rice
• •3 cups chicken bone broth
• •2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• •Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
2. 2Slice the tops off the tomatoes and use a spoon to carefully hollow out the centers, reserving the pulp and juices in a separate bowl.
3. 3Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes and place them upside down on paper towels for 10 minutes to drain excess moisture.
4. 4In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the shallots and 4 cloves of minced garlic until translucent.
5. 5Add the sausage to the skillet, breaking it into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned.
6. 6Finely chop the reserved tomato pulp and add it to the skillet along with the parsley, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes; simmer for 5 minutes until reduced.
7. 7Remove the skillet from heat and fold in the panko breadcrumbs and half of the Parmesan cheese to create a moist stuffing.
8. 8Arrange the tomatoes in a lightly greased baking dish, stuff them generously with the sausage mixture, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top.
9. 9Drizzle the stuffed tomatoes with olive oil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tomatoes are tender and the tops are golden brown.
10. 10While the tomatoes bake, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté the remaining 2 cloves of garlic for 1 minute, then add the jasmine rice.
11. 11Toast the rice for 2 minutes, then pour in the chicken broth; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
12. 12Let the rice rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
13. 13To serve, spoon a bed of the fluffy garlic rice onto each plate and place a stuffed tomato on top, drizzling with any savory juices left in the baking dish.