Unlike the typical 9 to 5 job, I work 4-10 hour days. The days are undeniably long, but a
weekly 3-day weekend more than makes up for my intense workweek. It’s like a weekly mini-vacation. My favorite part of my three-day
weekend is Sunday. Not working on
Mondays, Sunday has been transformed from a somber, stressful affair, focused
on preparing for the workweek, into a relaxing and delightful day. I spend most of my Sunday evenings
hunkered down at a good friend’s house in Denver, sipping vodka, eating antipasto,
and verbally dissecting the world at large. Our Sunday meal is typically low maintenance; however, this
Sunday, my friend expressed a hankering for stuffed peppers, which I have never
made before, and I quickly accepted the challenge, and the change of pace.
When I went to the store, red bell peppers just happened to be on
sale, and the whole scenario seemed meant to be. I went with an Italian theme for the peppers. I didn’t grow up eating them, so I
wasn’t exactly sure what the traditional flavor profile would be, so I chose
the direction I know and love best: Italian. I used ground beef, sausage, rice, tomatoes, basil, onions,
garlic, pesto, and, of course, cheese.
I chose a combination of ground beef and sausage because I felt that
sausage exclusively would be too fatty and rich; a lot of pasta sauces have
both in them, so why not my stuffed peppers? It turned out lovely, but I will warn you to make sure your
stuffing is well seasoned. The
stuffing seasons the actual pepper, in addition to the filling, so over-seasoning
a tad is wise. I used diced
tomatoes and a can of sauce for tomato products, but a couple of tablespoons of
tomato paste added to the beef and onions would work well; despite the double
hit of tomato, a little more would have brought warmly welcomed depth of flavor. Cheese, glorious cheese, was naturally
a pivotal ingredient, and it renders the pepper filling a complete dish in and
of itself (we gleefully ate spoonfuls from the pan). The peppers are stuffed, put in a baking dish with a touch
of chicken broth (white wine would also be nice), and sealed with foil before
baking. When they are just about
done, they are blanketed in cheese, and broiled. I chose a combination of mozzarella and asiago, but a
sticking solely with a young asiago would be lip-smacking good. Pick your poison.
Stuffed Peppers
1/2 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 cup rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded cheese (such as mozzarella, asiago, parmesan, or a
combination)
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
6-ounce can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup good quality pesto
1/4 cup basil chiffonade
4-6 bell peppers
Salt, pepper, red chile flakes, oregano
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-
Prepare rice by adding it to 2 cups of simmering chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20, lifting lid
as little as possible. Set aside
when finished.
-
Prepare peppers by cutting of the top, and removing seeds and large
ribs. Set aside in a 9x13 inch
baking dish.
-
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with oil. Add ground beef and sausage, breaking
up chunks with a wooden spoon or spatula.
-
When meat is broken up and beginning to brown, drain excess
fat. Then add onion and minced
garlic. Season with salt, pepper,
oregano, and red chile flakes (about 1/2 teaspoon of each, maybe more salt, and
little less hot pepper flakes).
Cook until onion and meat is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
-
Add rice, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce (if you want it more
tomato-y in flavor, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste with the onions). Stir to combine, taste, and re-season.
-
Turn off heat and add basil, pesto, and 1/2 the cheese.
-
Fill each of the peppers until heaping with rice and tomato
mixture. This recipe makes enough
for about 6 medium-sized peppers, and the rice mixture also is very tasty on
its own.
-
Place filled peppers, standing up, in the baking dish, and add remaining
chicken broth (or better yet, white wine). Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
-
Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Remove peppers from the oven, and turn on the broiler. Put remaining cheese on each pepper,
then place under the broiler until browned and bubbling.
