Ingredients
1/2 c. brown rice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion
1 1/4 lb. ground beef
c. mint leaves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt and pepper
6 large tomatoes
1/2 c. feta cheese
1/4 c. panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. In 3-quart saucepan, cook rice as label directs.
- Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium 1 minute. Add onion, and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Stir in ground beef, half of mint, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until beef loses its pink color throughout, breaking up meat with spatula and stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining chopped mint.
- While ground beef cooks, cut each tomato horizontally in half. With melon baller or spoon, scoop out tomato pulp; place in large bowl. Remove 1 cup tomato pulp from bowl and chop. Discard remaining pulp or save for use another day. Return chopped pulp to bowl. Add rice, feta cheese, and beef mixture; stir until well blended.
- In 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan, place tomato halves, cut sides up. Mound scant 1/2 cup beef filling in each tomato half; sprinkle with panko. Bake tomatoes 25 to 30 minutes or until crumbs are browned and filling is heated through. Garnish with mint sprigs.