Serves 6 to 8
• ¾ lb. green bell peppers (about 2 large)
• ¾ lb. zucchini
• ½ lb. small Japanese eggplants (about 3 eggplants)
• 1 small yellow onion
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ tsp. salt, or more to taste
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
• 1 tsp. crushed dried red peppers
• dash of oregano
• 1½ Tbs. lemon juice
• black pepper to taste
• 6 to 8 large, ripe tomatoes
• ½ lb. Munster cheese, grated
• 2 Tbs. dry bread crumbs
1. Roast the bell peppers under the broiler, turning them often, until they are blistered and charred. Hold them under cold, running water and peel off the skins. Remove the stems, seeds, and ribs, and cut them in short, thin strips.
2. Trim and finely dice the zucchini and eggplants. Peel and chop the onion.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the chopped onions in it over very high heat, stirring constantly, just until they begin to color. Add the diced zucchini and eggplant and toss, still over high heat, for about 5 or 6 minutes. Add the salt, cilantro, red pepper, oregano, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir well and turn off the heat.
4. Cut out a 2-inch circle from the top of each tomato and scoop out the pulp, leaving a ¼-inch shell. Chop the tomato pulp coarsely, add it to the vegetables in the skillet, and stir again over high heat just until the liquid is reduced to a thick paste.
5. Remove the vegetables from the heat and quickly stir in about ¾ of the grated cheese.
6. Spoon the mixture into the tomato shells. Toss the remaining cheese with the bread crumbs and put a little mound of it on top of each tomato.
7. Bake the tomatoes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes and serve immediately.
