Tomatoes Stuffed with Ground Meat and Rice

By TPMay

Ingredients

• 12 medium Italian plum tomatoes, pulp and seeds removed
• 1 pound hashu (Aleppian Ground Meat and Rice Filling)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons ouc (tamarind concentrate), homemade or store-bought (see Notes)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
• Rice and Ground Meat
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup short-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 onion, chopped (1/2 cup, optional)
• 1 cup pine nuts (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Fill the tomatoes loosely with hashu.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil into a large ovenproof saucepan or roaster. Place the stuffed tomatoes in the pan so they are upright. Sprinkle with the salt. Drizzle some of the lemon juice into the center of each tomato. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon oil liberally around pan. Dollop a teaspoon of ouc over each tomato and sprinkle with the sugar, if desired.
Cover and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the juices have thickened.
Rice and Ground Meat
Soak rice in water, enough to-cover, for 30 minutes. Drain.
Combine the meat, rice, allspice, vegetable oil, cinnamon, salt, white pepper, and, if desired, onion and pine nuts in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Use as required by other recipes.