Stuffed Peppers

Although the variety is not as great in our fall garden we currently have an abundance of sweet potatoes and peppers. Roasted peppers go on just about anything and my wife makes a spectacular sauce with the roasted peppers, cilantro, parsley, salt and some extra virgin olive oil.

Can’t remember ever making stuffed peppers before but tonight seemed like a good night give it a try. I had the peppers and some grass feed pasture raised beef from a local North Georgia farm. This recipe has a Mediterranean feel to it. I also used bulgur wheat instead of breadcrumbs to the meat mixture.

What You Need:

4 medium sized green or red bell peppers seeded and halved lengthwise.
2 Tbl olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb lean ground beef
1 15oz can of diced tomatoes strained
½ cup bulgur wheat
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp coriander seed
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ cup raisins
¼ cup Major Grey’s mango chutney
¼ to ½ cup of toasted pine nuts.
A mild cheddar or Gruyere cheese grated to top

Boil a cup of water and add ½ cup bulgur wheat, stir, cover and remove from heat.
Add the oil to a sauté pan and cook the onion over medium heat until translucent. Add the Garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until the pink is gone. Add salt, curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander. Add the tomatoes and stir all the ingredients together. Add the raisins and chutney.

Drain any excess water not absorbed by the bulgur wheat and add the grain to the mixture. Adjust seasoning and cook everything together for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add the pine nuts.

Arrange the bell peppers in a Pyrex baking dish so you can see the peppers. Stuff with the meat mixture. Add ½ cup water around the peppers. Cover with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Carefully remove the foil as steam will be escaping, sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the over for another 15 minutes until the cheese melts and turns brown. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

NOTE: The good thing about stuffed peppers is the stuffing is all pre-cooked before stuffing the peppers and baking in the oven. Therefore you have the chance to play with seasonings to get the exact flavor you want. There are no surprises, except how much flavor the cooked peppers bring to the dish.

Ciao For Now
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