Stuffed Bell Peppers (like my grandmother used to make)

I've had such a craving for stuffed peppers. Beautiful colorful bell peppers stuffed with juicy ground beef, rice and maybe some kind of cheese to top it off. You wouldn't believe it, but I've actually never tried one, which makes my craving sort of strange. I do, however, have memories of my grandmother making them when I was very young. At least 20 years ago. Of course I was too young to appreciate them then. (I remember thinking i could never eat them.) But somehow, I never forgot their scent... that wonderful smell as they were taken out of the oven. The sweetness of the peppers. The savory juiciness of the ground beef, flavored with capers and cumin. 

My grandmother (my dad's mom) was Catalan, but I don't know whether hers was a spanish dish. In fact, I think most countries have some version of a stuffed pepper with different stuffings and sauces that make it their own.

Anyway, I decided to make my own rendition... as I remember they might have tasted. These are so delicious. Sweet, savory, and extremely comforting. 

The beef is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, raisins, capers, cumin, salt and fresh ground pepper. 

If you're like me, you taste things as you make them. Well, believe me, this beef is so good, you will be tasting constantly. (I couldn't stop).

I'm sure it would also taste great in stuffed eggplant. (I plan on making that soon too.)

The rice I used to stuff the peppers is one of my favorite recipes, which started off as an experiment (like most things I make). It normally turns out creamy like a risotto of sorts, but once roasted in the oven with the peppers, this version will be much dryer.

I use very short grain rice packed with herbs and veggies for incredible flavor. Ground turmeric gives it a vibrant yellow color.

Once the beef and rice are ready, I brush the peppers with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and let them broil in the oven for 15 minutes.

Once out of the oven, I fill them first with the beef, then the rice, and top them off with fresh grated parmesan. 

Then back into the oven they go, on broil, for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Sooo good. The raisins and capers in the beef bring out the sweetness of the peppers, making this dish incredible. The cheese does wonders too. You must try this one...

Stuffed Bell Peppers

          4 bell peppers, cut in half through the stem, washed, seeds removed

          1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese for topping

          

          For the rice:

          2 cups of short grain rice

          1/2 cup chopped red onion

          1 cup of chopped parsley

          1 cup of chopped cilantro

          1/2 cup chopped tomato

          1/2 stick of salted butter

          4 tablespoons of olive oil          

          2 tbsps of ground tumeric

          4 1/2 cups of water

          Salt & Pepper to taste (make sure it is well-salted)

          

          For the beef:

          1.5 pound of ground beef

          3 cloves of garlic, chopped

          1/2 cup chopped red onion

          1/2 cup of chopped parsley

          4 tablespoons of capers 

          1/2 cup of raisins

          1 tablespoon of ground cumin

          4 tablespoons of olive oil

          Salt & Pepper to taste (make sure it is well-salted)

Wash bell peppers and cut in half through the stem. Remove seeds and insides. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Set aside until beef and rice are ready.

To make the beef: sautee onion and parsley in olive oil until onion is tranlustent, then add garlic and a good amount of salt and pepper to taste. Sautee for 2 minutes and add beef and cumin. Once beef is almost cooked, add raisins and capers. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes so that the flavors are well blended. 

To make the rice: sautee onion, tomato and tumeric in olive oil until onion is tranlustent then add butter, cilantro, parsley and a good amount of salt and pepper to taste. Once all of the vegetables and herbs are soft, add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add rice and allow to cook uncovered until rice has absorbed the water.

Place empty peppers on a baking sheet (they were previously brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper) and broil them in the oven for about 15 minutes or until edges start to brown. Once out of the oven, fill the pepper halves first with beef and then rice. Top off with grated parmesan cheese and broil in the oven once again for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.