Il Cucinologo
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Stuffed Tomatoes with Couscous, Mackerel, and Olives

17/11/2023

Stuffed tomatoes are a versatile dish and can be customized in many ways. Here I propose a version with couscous, mackerel, and olives, which marries Mediterranean flavors. Here are the ingredients and the preparation.

Ingredients

  • 4 large ripe tomatoes
  • 150 g couscous
  • 200 ml hot vegetable broth
  • 1 can of mackerel in oil, drained
  • 2 tablespoons pitted Taggiasca olives (or olives of your choice)
  • 1 handful of chopped parsley
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

  1. Start by washing the tomatoes, then cut off the top cap and set it aside. Scoop out the pulp from the tomatoes with a spoon, being careful not to break them. Lightly salt the inside and place them upside down on a plate so they release excess water.

  2. Meanwhile, pour the couscous into a bowl and add the hot vegetable broth. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the couscous absorbs the liquid and swells. Then, fluff it with a fork.

  3. Take a pan and sauté the chopped onion with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent. Add the mackerel in oil and let it flavor for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat.

  4. Add the couscous to the pan with the mackerel and onion, the chopped olives, and the parsley. Mix well and adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

  5. Take the tomatoes, fill them with the couscous, mackerel, and olive mixture, and close them with the cap you had previously cut.

  6. Arrange the stuffed tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft but still able to hold their shape.

Serve the stuffed tomatoes with couscous, mackerel, and olives hot or at room temperature.

Curiosità

Couscous is a North African ingredient that has also spread to Sicilian cuisine and other Italian regions that have had historical contacts with the Maghreb. Paired with the more pronounced flavor of mackerel and the freshness of olives, it creates a perfect combination for a dish to serve as an appetizer or as a light main course.