You can serve these hot or cold.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 medium onion, chopped

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

　　2/3 cup short-grain or risotto rice

　　1 1/3 cups water

　　Salt and pepper

　　1 tablespoon chopped mint

　　1 tablespoon chopped dill

　　2 tablespoons chopped parsley

　　Juice of 1/2–1 lemon or 1 tablespoon sumac

　　1/4 teaspoon allspice

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　4 firm, large (beefsteak) tomatoes or 10 small tomatoes

　　

Step 1

For the filling, fry the onion in 1 tablespoon of the oil till golden. Stir in the tomato paste and the rice. Add the water, salt, and pepper, stir well, and simmer for 12 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Mix in the mint, dill, parsley, lemon juice or sumac, allspice, cinnamon, and the remaining oil.

　　

Step 2

Cut a small circle around the stalk and cut out a cap from each tomato. Remove and discard (or save for another dish) the pulp and seeds with a pointed teaspoon. Fill with the rice stuffing and replace the caps. Arrange in a shallow baking dish and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20–30 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, keeping watch so that you can remove them if they start to fall apart.

　　

Variation

Step 3

A Lebanese version has 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts in the rice filling. Another has 3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts and 3 tablespoons raisins. For these, use the master recipe, omitting the herbs and the sumac.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf