Long before there was Instagram, there was Claude Monet. His 1883 painting of peaches could make any art lover’s mouth water. The only things Monet loved as much as painting were his family and his meals. Once he tasted Yorkshire pudding at the Savoy Hotel in London, he badgered his cook Marguerite until she could replicate the version. But mostly he indulged in fresh vegetables, many of which he grew in the gardens of Giverny. (‶I am good for nothing but painting or gardening,″ he reportedly quipped.)
Monet is just one of the celebrities featured in Legendary Dinners: From Grace Kelly to Jackson Pollock edited by Anne Peterson (Prestel 2021, $40). Dinner guests ranged from painter Paul Cezanne to novelist Guy de Maupassant to the great political leader Georges Clemenceau. We can only hope they liked crunchy veggies. Monet preferred most vegetables lightly steamed—in fact, almost raw. He made an exception for tomatoes, which he raised in Normandy with the help of a greenhouse to stretch the season. Here’s Marguerite’s version of baked stuffed tomatoes.
Stuffed Tomatoes
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
- 6 large tomatoes
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, and 1 bay leaf)
- salt and pepper
- 2 thick slices day-old country-style bread
- 7 tbsp. / 100 ml vegetable broth
- 2 oz. / 55 g Canadian bacon or cooked ham
- 2 oz. / 55 g mushrooms
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 6 large shallots
- 1 tbsp. / 15 g butter
- 2 egg yolks
- vegetable oil for greasing
TIME NEEDED: 60 mins. + 30 mins. cooking
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM
METHOD
Wash and pat dry the tomatoes. Using a sharp knife, off the tops and set aside. Carefully hollow out the tomatoes with a spoon and put the flesh and seeds into a saucepan. Briefly bring to a boil, then strain and return to the pan. Add the herb bouquet and simmer the sauce about 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, then season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper.
Cut the crusts off the bread slices, chop the bread, and place it in a bowl with the broth. Cut the bacon into small dice. Rub the mushrooms clean with a moist cloth, then trim them, remove the stems, and finely chop. Wash and shake dry the parsley, remove the leaves, and finely chop them. Peel and finely chop the garlic and the shallots.
Heat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (Gas 6; convection ovens 375°F / 180°C). Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the bacon, mushrooms, parsley, garlic, and shallots to the skillet, and fry until golden-brown. Stir in the bread cubes and the tomato sauce. Stir in the egg yolks to bind and season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes into a greased gratin pan or baking dish that holds them upright, then fill them with the mixture. Put the tomato tops back on top. Roast the tomatoes about 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.