Forced Tomatas

Ingredients

• 2 oz. lean ham, minced
• 2 oz. mushrooms, minced
• 4 to 8 shalots
• 1 full teaspoonful parsley, minced
• 1/4 saltspoonful cayenne pepper
• salt
• 2 oz. butter
• 2 to 3 egg yolks
• 2 oz. fine bread crumbs
• tomatas, well-shaped and of equal size
• clarified butter

Instructions

1. Stew the minced mushrooms, shalots, parsley, and minced lean ham together in butter over gentle heat until tender, without allowing them to brown.
2. Season the stewed mixture with cayenne and a little salt as needed, then let it cool.
3. Once cooled, mix the stewed forcemeat with about a third as much fine bread crumbs and the yolks of eggs, stirring until well combined.
4. Select tomatas that are well shaped and of equal size, and divide each nearly in the middle, keeping the blossom-side the largest.
5. Carefully empty the tomatas of their seeds and juice.
6. Fill each tomata generously with the forcemeat mixture.
7. Cover the filled tomatas with fine bread crumbs, then moisten them thoroughly with clarified butter.
8. Bake them in a brisk oven until they are well coloured, about 10 to 20 minutes.
9. Serve them as a garnish to stewed rump or sirloin of beef, or to a boned and forced leg of mutton.