STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES (three dozen, serving 6 to 8)

36 cherry tomatoes, about 1-1/2 ounce each (preferably half red and half yellow)

For the olive stuffing:

6 boned and skinned canned sardines in olive oil, well drained and tails discarded

3 tablespoons black olive paste

1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves

3 gherkins, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the cheese stuffing:

13 ounces fresh goats milk cheese, such as Brousse de brebis or ricotta, drained

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 green onions, finely chopped, including the green portions

1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

freshly ground black pepper

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1.   Cut a small cap from the top of each tomato.  With a small spoon, scoop out the flesh.  Invert the hollowed out tomatoes on a plate to drain.

2.   To make the olive stuffing, place the sardines in a bowl and mash them with a fork.  Add the olive paste, celery leaves, gherkins and cayenne pepper and mix well.  Fill 18 of the tomatoes with this stuffing.

3.   To make the chcese stuffing, place the cheese in bowl and mash it with a fork.  Add the olive oil, green onions, parsley and pepper.  Mix well.  Fill the remaining 18 tomatoes with this stuffing.

4.   Serve the tomatoes cold.

from the Williams Sonoma Kitchen Library, Hors d’Oeuvres and Appetizers