Stuffed Tomatoes

This delicious summer dish combines two of the things New Jersey does best: tomatoes and corn.

It’s summer, which means we can get New Jersey tomatoes and corn. If you’ve never tried Jersey tomatoes or NJ sweet corn, you don’t know what you’re missing. I stocked up on both of them when we recently visited one of our favorite places, Delicious Orchards, so I wanted to come up with a recipe that would incorporate both the tomatoes and the corn and bring out the best of both. I’ve tried different kinds of stuffed tomatoes before, usually with rice and/or breadcrumbs, and never really liked them, but these are incredible. My husband and I couldn’t stop eating them. If you’re somewhere when you can get NJ produce, then that’s the way to go, but even if you can’t, this is definitely a recipe you’ll want to try.

Ingredients

4 medium sized tomatoes
3 ears of corn
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
3 slices of bacon**, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

**I highly recommend Vermont Smoke & Cure Bacon. I’ve been trying to find a better bacon for years but had trouble finding a natural brand that also tasted good. My search ended with Vermont Smoke & Cure Bacon. The pigs are raised without antibiotics or hormones, and the bacon doesn’t contain gluten, preservatives, or sodium nitrate. But best of all, it actually tastes like bacon! And, no, I’m not getting paid for this plug; I just really enjoy this bacon.

Method

Chop the bacon in small pieces (I used kitchen shears). Cook bacon until crisp, then remove to a power towel (leaving bacon fat in the pan).

Add onion and jalapeño to the bacon fat and cook for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the corn kernels off the cob by standing the cob cut side down on a cutting board, holding it near the top, and sawing downward with a sharp knife. Add corn to pan. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for about 5 minutes. Add heavy cream. Mix well. Reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes, until heavy cream is almost evaporated, mixing occasionally. Once done, remove from heat, add bacon, and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a baking dish. Wash and dry tomatoes, cut the tops off, and scoop the insides out.