Vinegartart

We are inundated with peppers and tomatoes.  In other words, it is a typical Okanagan fall. The bounty reflects the zeal with which I approach the other end of the season – the planting seeds end – which I always overdo. Those catalogues full of  heirloom of tomatoes are just too hard to resist despite the reminders from my partner that we already have a LOT of seeds diligently saved from last year.

So, I plant, plant, plant, and… now it’s time to cook!

Tomato Stuffed Peppers

In an effort to use up  two delicious crops at once, I make this wonderfully easy recipe that brings together two mainstays of the fall vegetable garden. It also gets me started on the making my winter supply of Tomato Marmalade another household favorite, which I will share, when I start my tomato marmalade-a-thon.  Right after my salsa-a-thon.

Tomato Stuffed Peppers

Serves four

Ingredients

2 medium red, yellow, purple or orange bell peppers

2 medium heirloom tomatoes, any colour, quartered

4 tablespoons tomato marmalade or tomato or olive tapenade

8 basil leaves

2 garlic gloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method

1. Split peppers in 1/2 length wise through the  stem end and clean out the seeds and connective tissue.  Place in a small baking dish.

2. Spoon a tablespoon of tomato marmalade in the bottom of each pepper shell.

3. Lay two basil leaves on top of tomato marmalade.

4. Place 2 tomato quarters in each pepper shell, seed side up.  If using cherry tomatoes, cut in half and stuff into pepper shells until overflowing.

5. Place sliced garlic on top of tomatoes, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to each pepper shell and drizzle with olive oil.

6. Bake at 375F for about 45 minutes, or until completely soft and nicely browned. Finish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Next week – more garden goodies!