TOMATOES WITH MOROCCAN-STYLE FISH STUFFING

Tomatoes with Moroccan-Style Fish Stuffing image

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

four 1/2-pound tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste
1 pound scrod fillet or other firm-fleshed white fish fillet
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped peel from quick preserved lemons
For quick preserved lemons:
6 thin-skinned lemons, scrubbed, trimmed at both ends, and cut lengthwise into sixths
6 tablespoons coarse salt
about 1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon brine from quick preserved lemons
2 tablespoons minced fresh coriander
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Steps:

Cut off the top third of each tomato, scoop out the seeds and pulp with a grapefruit knife, leaving 1/3-inch-thick shells, and reserve the tops and pulp for another use. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with salt and invert the tomatoes on a rack to drain for 30 minutes.
In a non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the scrod for 1 minute on each side. Add the wine to the skillet and cook the fish, covered, over moderately low heat for 3 to 6 minutes, or until it just flakes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the fish cool. Flake the fish into a bowl and stir in the preserved lemon peel and brine, the coriander, the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil. Divide the mixture among the tomato shells and drizzle it with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
To make quick preserved lemons:
In a baking dish just large enough to hold the lemons in one layer toss the lemons with the salt, pour enough of the lemon juice over them to just cover them, and bake the lemons, covered, in a preheated 200°F oven, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Let the lemons cool and transfer them with their brine to an airtight container. The preserved lemons keep, covered and chilled, indefinitely.