I’m a stalker. If you are my Facebook friend, I am watching the food you eat, the meals you make and the dishes you obsess over. That’s me giving you the “thumbs up” on that beautiful seafood dish you had on vacation or the “best grilled cheese I’ve ever made.” I lurk, I “like,” I steal borrow.
A new co-worker “friended” me recently. I figured she was a nice girl and would have cute pictures of her new puppy. Little did I know that Intern Betty was into cooking and was making some beautiful food. I tore through her food album, trying to figure out when we could plan an office potluck, because I wanted to eat everything she was making. One dish caught my eye and seemed like a great recipe to tweak: egg-stuffed tomato with three cheeses and thyme. I turned to what was seasonal and added some sweet corn to an already lovely dish. Instead of three cheeses, I went with my favorite “melty” variety: fontina (I just love its saltiness and slight funkiness.). Thanks, Intern Betty. Now, get back to work!
Summer Egg Nest
Adapated by Dee Ryan from a recipe originally created by Betty Liu
4 Servings
4 beefsteak tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped thyme
1 cup grated fontina or Parmesan cheese, divided into ¼ cups
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• With a serrated knife, slice off the top half inch of each tomato. With a spoon or melon-baller, carefully scoop out the flesh and seeds from the tomato, being careful not to cut through the outer wall of the tomatoes. Discard or save for another use. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the corn among the tomatoes, filling the empty cavities.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and thyme. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper.
• Divide the egg mixture among the tomatoes and top each one with ¼ cup of cheese.
• Bake until the egg mixture is set, about 45 minutes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
This article appears in July 2012.