Greek Peppers Food

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place green and red bell peppers in a bowl with enough warm water to cover, and soak 5 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork and onions in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pork is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in wine and tomato puree. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
• Transfer skillet mixture to a large bowl, and mix in feta cheese, cooked rice, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley. Stuff peppers with the mixture, and arrange in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil, and continue baking 10 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned. May be served hot or cold.

GREEK PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut the two red bell peppers lengthwise into thirds, carefully removing seeds and membranes.
• Place on a baking sheet skin-side up and flatten out with the palm of your hand.
• Brush or drizzle with a bit of olive oil and roast at 500 degrees until skins become charred and slightly wrinkled.
• Upon removing from the oven, immediately place them into a sealed bowl or plastic bag.
• When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off with your fingers and discard the skins - don't rinse the peppers or you'll rinse away that delicate smoky flavor from the roasting.
• Arrange on a plate and chill for about 30 minutes.
• Combine cheeses, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide mixture into as many portions as you have roasted pepper sections and shape it into a log.
• Mold the pepper over the cheese log and form it into a jalapeno pepper shape, lay it in the center of a salad plate.
• At the thicker end, tuck in a stem of fresh basil.
• Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

YEMISTA (GREEK STUFFED TOMATOES AND PEPPERS)

Steps:

• Cut off tops of tomatoes (retain tops) and carefully scoop out flesh (retain this as well).
• Cut off tops of peppers (retain tops) and remove seeds and membrane.
• Place tomatoes and peppers in a pan large enough to hold them comfortably and give each veg a tiny dash of sugar with the tips of your fingertips (I really think this is important!).
• Take tomato flesh and process it until pureed.
• Add olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mint, parsley, nuts, cheese, sultanas, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (or season to taste).
• Stuff the vegetables evenly with this mixture.
• Replace tops of tomatoes and peppers.
• Combine 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup olive oil with a scant tablespoonful of tomato paste and a little salt and pepper and pour this around the veg.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven (180C) for approx 1 3/4 hours (vegetables should pierce easily and be slightly blackened in parts).
• Turn off oven and leave in for another hour to'mellow' before serving.
• This is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.
• It is wonderful eaten along with little bites of feta cheese and a cool glass of white or rose.
• It will also have yummy juices begging to be mopped up with bits of crusty bread.
• In my version, I also take 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, cut them into big wedges, toss in a little olive oil with salt and pepper to taste, and'plant' in the spaces amidst the vegetables.
• That way you can have a couple of wedges of potato too.

GREEK PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Combine peppers, onion, cucumber, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, basil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and cayenne. Add mustard and whisk to combine. Pour over vegetables.
• If desired, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two hours.
• Sprinkle with cheese, olives, and parsley. Toss and serve.