Stuffed Beef Tomatoes with Spinach Purée

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat, and add the mince broken into small chunks. Brown the lamb without moving it for 1–2 minutes.

Add the onion, garlic, anchovies and herbs to the pan, and continue to fry until the onions start to brown.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and the red wine vinegar and cook further to reduce the liquid by half.

Add the passata and stock to the pan, bring to the boil, then put in the orzo. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is cooked, then take the pan off the heat.

Cut the top off each beef tomato, retaining the top for a lid, and scoop out the seeds and most of the flesh.

Finish off the stuffing in the pan by stirring in the cream and lemon zest, and spoon the mixture into the 4 hollowed-out tomatoes. Place the tomatoes on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the spinach purée, put the extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat. When it is hot, throw in the baby spinach and cook until the leaves have wilted, which will take about a minute. When cooked, place in a sieve to remove any extra liquid. Return to the pan along with the cream, heat through, season, then blend in the food processor.

To serve, remove the tomatoes from the oven. Place a large spoonful of spinach purée in the centre of each plate and serve a tomato on top.