Tomato stuffed with Cottage Cheese Salad

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

I only purchase cottage cheese in August and September, because the only time I crave this nutritious curdled cheese is when tomatoes are in season.

I need to dress up cottage cheese to love it; it's bland to my palate. But spiced up and served with summer tomatoes, it begs for a second helping.

Yield: 2 stuffed tomatoes

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes, preferably locally grown, washed

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, herb-infused vinegar preferable

2/3 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup diced cucumber

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon snipped chives

* no need to peel skin with English or locally grown

Directions

1. Trim off top 1/2-inch tomato and remove core. Scoop out 1/2 of the flesh to make a "bowl." Discard seeds, dice remaining flesh and reserve. Season interior of tomato shell with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

2. Whisk together olive oil and vinegar. Combine with cottage cheese, cucumbers, reserved tomato flesh and one tablespoon of the chives. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Stuff cottage cheese into tomato shells and serve.