Peppers, stuffed and served



In continuing with the theme of stuffed foods, M and I tried out a new recipe last night for stuffed sweet red peppers.

Peppers are not my favorite vegetable – if I were to rank them they would probably be in the 50th percentile, more enjoyable than white radish or turnips but not nearly as delicious as asparagus or broccoli. Regardless, they are tasty, and healthy, vehicles for an equally healthy and hearty filling, and to my surprise, this meal succeeded in redeeming the status of red peppers in my eyes. We used whole-wheat couscous, feta, zucchini, onions and cherry tomatoes, plus chickpeas for protein, which added an interesting dimension to the texture of the dish. The flavors came together really well, and we both agreed that it would be an excellent summer dish, especially if the peppers were barbequed to give them a deeper, smokier finish. In scouring blogs after dinner, polenta, corn, jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese are another popular filling for red or poblano peppes, as are variations of the above with different types of grain (bulgur, pearl couscous, quinoa) and meat  (sausage, ground beef).

Stuffed peppers with couscous feta and zucchini
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

- 5 large red bell peppers
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 3 smalls zucchinis, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly across
- 2/3 cup couscous
- 1 ¼ cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup feta, crumbled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 19 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt

1.     Preheat oven to 350F and grease a shallow baking dish. Set aside.

2.     In a small pan, boil broth and add couscous. Cover and remove from heat.

3.     Cut the stems and ½ inch off the tops of the red peppers. Remove seeds and membranes.

4.     Place peppers upright on the baking dish and roast for 15 minutes, until softened. Remove from oven until ready to stuff.

5.     Heat oil on medium-high heat and add onions, zucchini, oregano, cumin and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until vegetable have softened.

6.     Remove from heat and add tomato paste; mix until well incorporated. Add couscous and tomatoes and mix well. Stir in feta and chickpeas.

7.     Stuff the peppers so that they are full but not packed. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the peppers have softened. If desired (as M always does), broil for 2 minutes to melt the cheese, and serve immediately.

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