Stuffed Bell Peppers
These bell peppers are packed with an incredible filling of beef, rice, onion and spices. I recommend using 85 percent lean ground beef, because the extra fat adds juiciness and flavor. This recipe would also work well with ground pork or a combination of pork, turkey or beef.
Makes 6 to 7 servings
FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS 2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked and cooled white or brown rice
6 to 7 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill 1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon ground coriander
FOR THE SAUCE
2 cups beef broth 2 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons ketchup
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
FOR SERVING
Finely chopped fresh dill, as needed Sour cream, as needed
Preheat the oven to
375 degrees.
To make the stuffed bell peppers, preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Allow the butter to melt, then add the onion, carrots and garlic. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent but not brown. Transfer all but 1⁄3 cup of this mixture to a large bowl. Add the rice and stir to combine.
To make the sauce, add the broth, sour cream, ketchup and salt to the reserved vegetable mixture in the skillet. Whisk the mixture for 1 minute, then set the skillet aside.
Prepare the bell peppers for stuffing. Using a paring knife, cut around the stem and core, discarding the seeds and any white flesh. Place the bell peppers in a large roasting pan, baking dish or pot; the peppers should fit snugly.
Once the rice and onion mixture is cool enough to handle, add the beef, parsley, dill, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cumin and coriander. With gloved hands, mix all the ingredients until they are uniform. Gently stuff each pepper generously with the filling.
Pour the sauce from the skillet over the bell peppers, then cover the roasting pan with a lid or foil. Bake the bell peppers for 1 hour, then uncover the roasting pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the bell peppers from the oven and use a large spoon to ladle the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the peppers. Allow the bell peppers to cool slightly before garnishing them with the dill. Serve them with more sour cream on the side.
Recipe excerpted with permission from “Beyond Borscht” by Tatyana Nesteruk; Page Street Publishing Co.