About Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers is a traditional, simple recipe. The recipe calls for the cook to hollow out large green bell peppers and then bake them with a filling. A common recipe in North America has ground beef and rice formed into porcupine balls, placed inside the peppers and baked with tomato sauce. Different fillings and methods of cooking bring a wide variety to this dish.
Types
The idea of stuffing peppers is traditional worldwide and has a wide variety of possibilities for fillings. Stuffed peppers can be a side dish or a main meal. They can easily be created to accommodate almost any dietary preferences--gluten-free, vegetarian, low-fat and more. See the resources section below for some unusual stuffed pepper recipes.
Cooking Methods
Typically the dish is cooked with the meat mixture placed in the peppers and then baked for 45 minutes or an hour. Some older recipes call for boiling the peppers for 20 minutes before even baking, back when Americans preferred their vegetables to be limp and soggy. With tastes having changed and people preferring a crisper texture, for this dish the boiling instructions should be disregarded. A way to make the peppers even more appealing is to do the cooking in separate steps. Cook the rice first, then fry the ground beef and add the rice to it. Blanch the peppers for just a couple minutes until they are hot, then add the filling and pour sauce over the top.
Easy Variations
Red, orange, and yellow peppers can be used also for a sweeter flavor. Ground turkey makes a good substitute for ground beef. Corned beef hash provides a different twist. For people who don't like rice, bread stuffing can be used instead, to create a mini meatloaf. Cut back on the liquid in the stuffing by at least 1/8 cup, because the stuffing will pick up moisture from the peppers and from the meat. Try topping stuffed peppers with bleu cheese or provolone. Also, use different spices--garlic, allspice or basil. Adding chili powder and cumin gives the dish a chili-like flavor.
Ethnic variations
For an Italian variation, the standard tomato sauce can be changed to spaghetti or pizza sauce, and Italian sausage can be substituted for ground beef. Another Italian possibility is adding parmesan or gorgonzola cheese. A Middle Eastern flair substitutes lamb for the beef, and adds feta cheese along with the rice, as well as garlic. A Southwest-style recipe uses chipotle sauce and chicken or shredded beef, or if you're feeling adventurous, buffalo meat.
Vegetarian Options
Stuffed peppers easily can be made vegetarian with soy burger crumbles, black beans, tempeh or bulgur wheat. Raw food enthusiasts can stuff peppers with mushrooms, carrots, spinach, quinoa and cashews.
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