Kale Omelet-Stuffed Tomatoes

Did you take part in Food Revolution Day? It was on Saturday May 19, created by the Jamie Oliver Foundation, and it was a day devoted to educating everyone about cooking fresh, healthy food. Slow Food Austin organized a brunch event where we shared food that matched the theme of the day. I wanted to make something simple with mostly local ingredients. The first ripe tomatoes of the year had just started appearing at farm stands and markets, and I couldn’t wait to use them. I brought home a few different varieties of tomatoes and a bunch of kale from Springdale Farm, and then I stole an omelet idea from Virginia Willis’s Basic to Brilliant, Y'all. In the book, a kale omelet is baked in a hollowed out, big, round loaf of bread, and it makes a beautiful presentation. But, for a potluck brunch party, I thought individual omelets would be handy, and I was also thinking back to a stuffed tomato recipe I used to make for summer breakfasts. The dish I used to make involved cutting the tops off tomatoes, removing the seeds, and cracking an egg into each tomato, and then the tomatoes were baked. They’re cute with an intact yolk in the middle, but the problem with the whole egg in a tomato thing is that each tomato needs to be just the right size to fit each egg. By whisking eggs with some sauteed kale, an omelet mixture could be poured to fill tomatoes of any size, and the fitting problem was solved. That’s how the dish you see here was born.

I’ll include the amounts I used in the recipe below, but to make this again, the quantities might have to be changed depending on the size of the tomatoes. First, I sauteed chopped kale with a little minced garlic and red chile flakes in olive oil. Next, tomato tops were cut off and seeds were removed. I sprinkled salt and pepper into each tomato, drizzled in some olive oil, and added a pinch of shredded parmesan. The tomatoes were placed in a baking dish. Eggs were whisked, and the cooled, sauteed kale was added. I used a small ladle to pour the omelet mixture into the tomatoes and filled them almost to the top. More parmesan was strewn about on top before the tomatoes were baked for about 45 minutes.

I’m thinking back to cracking eggs and watching them overflow smaller tomatoes or only filliing bigger ones halfway, and I’m wondering why it never occurred to me before to whisk the eggs into an omelet to use in a stuffed tomato. It’s really a better idea. And, it's easy. It makes a homemade, healthy, and vegetable-forward dish full of fresh, local ingredients for a food revolution or just for a good, summer meal.

Kale Omelet-Stuffed Tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil 
1/2 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, and leaves chopped
1 teaspoon red chile flakes or to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
12 medium tomatoes
4 oz. parmigiano reggiano, shredded
7 large eggs

-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

-In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat two tablespoons of the olive oil and add the red chile flakes. Add the chopped kale and cook until wilted and tender about five minutes. Set aside to cool.

-Cut the tops off each tomato, and using a paring knife or small spoon, remove the seeds to hollow the tomatoes. Choose a baking dish that will hold the tomatoes snuggly so they don’t roll around when the dish is moved, and drizzle a few drops of the remaining olive oil in the bottom of the dish. With the last bit of olive oil, drizzle it in the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle some of the parmigiano reggiano in each tomato.

-In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and season them with salt and black pepper. Add the cooled kale and whisk to combine. Using a small ladle, pour the egg mixture into the tomatoes and fill each almost to the top. Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with the remaining parmigiano reggiano, and place baking dish in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the omelets in each tomato are set and the cheese on top is golden.

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