Vietnamese (French Inspired) Stuffed Tomatoes

• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, ground
• cilantro (garnish)
• 7 ounces ground pork
• 2 large dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1. Slice off about 1/2" tomato top and scoop the seeds inside.
2. Reserve pulp for sauce in a small bowl, set aside.
3. Dry each side of tomato "cup" gently until dry with a paper towel.
4. Fill each cup with the filling ingredients (pork, shiitake mushrooms, 2 TB fish sauce, sugar, ground pepper, shallots and scallion), making sure they are tightly packed in tomato.
5. Over medium high heat, add olive oil to cover bottom of saute pan.
6. When oil is hot, place tomatoes with the meat facing down
7. Cook until surface of meat is nice and golden, or approximately 10-15 minutes.
8. Transfer all tomatoes to roasting pan and bake for 40 minutes.
9. SAUCE PREPARATION: Add the reserved tomato pulp to small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
10. Simmer uncovered about 5-10 minutes and remove from heat.
11. Mix with water, fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar then add it to your tomatoes.
12. Serve over steamed rice and voila, you're done. =).

tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, fish sauce, sugar, fresh ground pepper, shallots, scallion, water, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/vietnamese-french-inspired-stuffed-tomatoes-429231 (may not work)