Summer is still playing hide and seek here in Montreal. Last weekend was hot and scorching, this weekend sunny but much cooler. As long as it is sunny I am happy. In Canada we had a long weekend too so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to get some of my foodie friends together for a simple BBQ dinner. An excuse to have the seasonal BBQ baptismal.

I do feel bad a bit for my friends because they did not get to taste my earlier meal, my amazing grilled lunch. There just was not enough to go around. How a propos to submit this recipe for the Creative Cooking Crew’s June theme – “what are you bringing to the BBQ?”. Turns out I did not bring my Grilled Shrimp Saganaki Stuffed Tomato to the BBQ but kept it all for myself.

Grilled Shrimp Saganaki Stuffed Tomato

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I was inspired by two past recipes I have posted here: the Barbecue Tomatoes Stuffed with Oka and the Shrimp Saganaki. I just substituted the stuffing for the saganaki. I did cook the stuffing a bit in a skillet ahead of time and blend the flavors more. The cheese melted and made a lovely sauce. The flavors of this dish are really superb and I was happy to reinvent this appetizer.

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I could not remember if I had grilled the tomatoes right on the grill or in a dish. I tried right on the grill and almost lost everything. The tomato halves got soft and flattened out. I did manage to gently remove them on the grill and right onto a serving plate. My heart stopped for a moment there but in the end I actually loved how they turned out, like fully bloomed flowers. If you don’t want to take a chance then grill in a glass dish. I cooked 4 shrimps whole and placed it standing up on top of each tomato for presentation.

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Grilled Shrimp Saganaki Stuffed Tomato

Servings 4 appetizers

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/3 cup shallots chopped 1/2 inch long
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
  • 2 to matoes
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp chopped in big pieces
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat barbecue to 450F.
  • Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out inside of each tomato.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add all the ingredients at the same time, including the chopped and drained tomato meat. Saute until the shrimps are about half cooked.
  • Stuff the tomato halves with the mixture.
  • Grill on the BBQ for about 10 minutes, in a dish or right on the grill (if like latter cook a bit less and remove gently)

Thank you Lazaro Cooks and Foodalogue for this month’s fun challenge. Check out what the other members have created on our Pinterest board by clicking on the banner below.

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