My mother tells me that in the 1960s, stuffed tomatoes were a preferred first course for dinner at many Hawaii homes. They were also served as part of a high-end “ladies lunch.”
Fresh tomatoes were sliced at the top, hollowed out, then filled with various types of salads.
This article features the tuna salad version. However, other fillings commonly used were crab and shrimp. Today, you could make a vegan quinoa and vegetable stuffing. The possibilities are limitless.
What’s great about this cold dish is that it can be prepared hours before guests arrive and kept refrigerated — stress-free entertaining. Just garnish with parsley and bits of tomato and it’s ready to serve.
Red and green provide a vibrant feast for the eyes, so the red cups of tomato look especially attractive on a bed of lettuce or ti leaves.
Here, raw tomatoes are stuffed with tuna, simply mixed with minced onions, capers, black pepper and mayonnaise to turn it into a salad. You can add chopped celery, green bell peppers or olives if you prefer those flavors.
While the temperatures are still hot, this is a refreshing cold dish to prepare for your family.
STUFFED TOMATOES
By Lynette Lo Tom
- 1 (7-ounce) can tuna, drained
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- Parsley leaves and lettuce leaves, to garnish and plate (optional)
In a bowl, mix tuna, mayonnaise, onion, capers and pepper.
Slice top of tomato about 1/4-inch. Using a paring knife and spoon, core tomatoes. Fill with tuna salad. Place on lettuce leaf and garnish with parsley leaves, if using. Makes 3 stuffed tomatoes.
Approximate nutritional information, per stuffed tomato (assumes tuna canned in water): 280 calories, 22 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 14 g protein.
”Easy Kine” features simple dishes that start with commercially prepared ingredients. Lynette Lo Tom is excited to hear your tried-and-true suggestions. Contact her at 275-3004, email lynette@brightlightcookery.com or via Instagram at @brightlightcookery. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
