Roasted, Stuffed Bell Peppers

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Newsletter #10: Roasted, Stuffed Bell Peppers

William Doran — May 23, 2021

There’s something very unassuming about bell peppers, but they more than transcend their humble reputation when roasted and stuffed.

Though they have been with us for a long time, bell peppers have no real sex appeal via their heat level or their shape. They are the only member of the capsicum family that produces no capsaicin (the chemical compound that makes a pepper taste hot). Though they are an essential supporting ingredient for some pretty delicious things like fajitas and supreme pizza, they don’t get their full due in most dishes. A variety of stuffed peppers can be found all over the world, but these are my adventurous take on the American classic, which features the cheapest, most boring variety: green.

Roasted, Stuffed Bell Peppers

FULL RECIPE

The classic American stuffed bell pepper is a whole meal, neatly packaged into an edible, vegetable-bowl.

We’ve got protein, we’ve got starch, and obviously we have a vegetable - plus they are dramatic and pretty served on a big white plate. Our version uses pork, wild rice, some tomato paste, and a little wine - plus some tangy goat cheese and parmesan to bring it to the next level. Typically, stuffed peppers require a tough balancing act to get the peppers tender without overcooking the filling. Many recipes call for extra steps to pre-boil the peppers before they are filled and baked. These get roasted in the oven instead to maximize flavor (and save dirtying an extra pot), while the filling is cooked on the stove. Finally, they get a blast under the broiler to melt a little cheese on top and bring everything together. Shower them with extra lemon, parmesan, and black pepper for a winning weeknight meal.

Materials & Methods

Fun fact: Peppers originally hail from South America and borrow their English name from black peppercorns (a totally unrelated plant family) simply because they also tasted ‘spicy’ to the early European explorers who brought them back across the Atlantic. Green bell peppers getting seasoned for roasting with olive oil, salt, and pepper above.

The peppers should be tender and a little charred on the bottom when they are done roasting. I pour juices that have accumulated inside the peppers back in into the filling.

Cook the ground meat and then your diced onion, garlic, and bell pepper for the filling while the peppers are roasting.

Adding cooked ground pork and Italian sausage back to the pan once the vegetables are very soft and caramelized. There’s also some balsamic vinegar, a little dry white wine, and tomato paste in there.

Filling the peppers with cooked stuffing before a quick run under the broiler.

Adding a sprinkling of goat cheese and then grated parmesan is the final step before broiling.

C’est tout!

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See you soon, you beautiful old girl! NYC bound on 5/27!

Adventurous Cooks will be coming to you from the Big Apple through next week. Stay tuned or follow along on the adventures @adventurouscooks on Instagram. I’m super excited to see friends and meet a fellow food blogger and classmate in my Food Writing Class, Mikhail Carto of @partnersincurry and partnersincurry.com. We’re in the 6th week of Food Writing through the Gotham Writers Workshop. Planning to grab some Thai at Fish Cheeks in NOHO. Stay tuned!