Stuffed Tomatoes

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 small tomatoes
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumb, if using large tomatoes

Recipe

• 1 skin the tomatoes, first by cutting out the core with a sharp knife and making a '+' incision on the other end of the tomato. then place in a pan of boiling water for 10 seconds, remove and plunge into a bowl of iced or very cold water (this latter step is to stop the tomatoes from cooking and going mushy).
• 2 slice the tops off the tomatoes, and just enough of their bases to remove the rounded ends so that they will sit squarely on the plate. keep the tops if using small tomatoes, but discard those large tomatoes. remove the seeds and insides, either with a teaspoon or small, sharp knife.
• 3 mash the eggs with the allioli -or the mayonnaise, if using- salt, pepper and parsley. stuff the tomatoes, firmly pressing the filling down. with small tomatoes, replace the lids at a jaunty angle. if keeping to serve later, brush them with olive oil and black pepper ot prevent them from drying out. cover with clingfilm and keep.
• 4 for large tomatoes, the filling must be firm enough to be sliced. if you make your own mayonnaise, thicken it by using more egg yolks. if you use shop-bought mayonnaise or allioli, add breadcrumbs until the mixture reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes.
• 5 season. fill the tomatoes, pressing down firmly until level. refrigerate for 1 hour, then slice with a sharp carving knife into rings. sprinkle with chopped parsley.