Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes

These are hearty enough to be a main course.

serves 4

4 medium tomatoes, ripe but firm
8 oz. fresh goat cheese
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. basil, chopped fine
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Cut a thin sliver off the bottom of each tomato to stand upright. Core the center without going all the way through the bottom flesh and scoop out seeds. Place tomatoes in a grill-friendly, 8x8-in. baking dish and set aside.

In a bowl, combine goat cheese, egg yolk, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spoon goat cheese mixture into a plastic bag. Cut a bottom corner of the bag to pipe the goat cheese mixture into the tomatoes, filling to just over the top. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil.

Grill tomatoes for 35 minutes until the tomatoes are tender, skins start to crack, and the cheese is hot. Let stand for 15 minutes. Serve warm, with crusty bread for soaking up all the juices.

Recently Joy acted on a persistent daydream by converting part of her backyard into a garden for berries and a second garden to build up the soil for vegetables. When she isn’t tending these new gardens, she dabbles in food styling and design for Edible Ohio Valley and volunteers on a local farm.