It is sometimes claimed that the ancient Romans, as well as medieval cooks, stuffed animals with other animals. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook from the 13th century includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds; and a similar recipe for a camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with bustards stuffed with carp stuffed with egg.
British celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has championed the ten-bird roast, calling it “one of the most
spectacular and delicious roasts you can lay before your loved ones at Yuletide”. A large turkey is stuffed with a goose, duck, mallard, guinea fowl, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon and woodcock. The roast feeds around 30 people and, in addition to the ten birds, it also includes stuffing made from two pounds of sausage meat and half a pound of streaky bacon, sage, port and red wine!
Today I’m keeping it simple… we’ll just use a pound of meat and some tomatoes
• 6 big ripe beef tomatoes (or 3 and 3 green bell peppers )
• 1/2 pound Italian pork sausage meat
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 325°. Cut across the tomatoes horizontally, leaving the top half slighter smaller than the bottom to create a lid. Set a strainer over a medium bowl. Scoop the tomato seeds into the strainer; press on the seeds to extract the juice.
Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the center of the tomatoes and coarsely chop them. Add the chopped centers to the juice in the bowl. Add the sausage, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and 2-1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and knead to combine.
Set the tomatoes in a large baking dish and season with salt. Spoon the filling into the tomatoes, cover with the lids and drizzle with the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft. You are the chef!
Jean Doherty is the Chef and Owner of Le Patio Restaurant in Wilton Manors (954) 530-4641
