Peppers Stuffed With Merguez Food

PEPPERS STUFFED WITH MERGUEZ

Steps:

• 1. Slice the top half-inch off each pepper, discard the stems and finely chop the flesh of the tops. Remove and discard the cores and seeds. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion and chopped peppers on low until soft and starting to color, about 10 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, place the rice in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 8 minutes. Stir the rice into the skillet along with the pine nuts, currants and 1 teaspoon cumin. Sauté briefly. Add the mint and season with salt. Remove from heat and add the wine. 3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place merguez in a bowl and mix in the contents of the skillet until everything is well blended. Fill peppers with the stuffing, but do not pack tightly. Top each pepper with a slice of lemon. Place peppers in a baking dish; they should fit snugly. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup water to the dish. Bake for 1 hour. 4. Mix the yogurt with the remaining cumin, remaining oil and lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt. Serve hot or at room temperature with yogurt sauce on the side. Yield: 6 servings.

THE BEST STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• If your peppers don't sit upright on your cutting board, trim about 1/8-inch off the bottoms to even them out so they can stand without falling over. Cut the top off each pepper about 1/2-inch down. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the remaining flesh from the tops. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membranes as you can. Place the peppers in a large microwave-safe bowl with 1/2 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high power for 12 minutes. Carefully uncover and let them sit until ready to assemble.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the beef in an even layer and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps with the back of a spoon and scraping up any browned bits from the pan until the meat is lightly browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and add the reserved chopped peppers, onions, garlic, thyme, 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until falling apart and much of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until brick red colored, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until the mixture is reduced, very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to the bowl with the beef. Stir in the rice until completely combined. (The mixture will be wet.) Season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Place the peppers cut-side up in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spoon the filling into the peppers, gently pressing it in with the back of a spoon. Be careful not to overstuff and split the sides of the peppers. Bake for 15 minutes. Then top with the cheese and continue baking until the filling is heated through and the cheese is browned in spots, 10 to 12 minutes.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the pepper halves cut-side up on a nonstick baking sheet or regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the interiors with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and roast until the peppers are juicy and somewhat softened and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the meat in a thin layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the meat browns and is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl. Stir the onions, garlic, chili powder and cumin into the pot with a sprinkle of salt. Stir to blend, then cook until the flavors meld together, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently over medium heat until the tomatoes fall apart and the chili starts to thicken, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the meat back to the pot along with the beans and apple cider vinegar. Remove from the heat.
• Fill each pepper about halfway with the couscous. Divide the chili among all the peppers, layering it on top of the couscous. Top with the cheese and return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until piping hot and the cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for a few mins to soften. Add the garlic and beef, and cook until the meat is browned - break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Add the tomatoes, oregano, stock cube and ketchup. Season well, give everything a good stir and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, halve the peppers and scoop out the seeds and white membrane. Place cut-side up in a roasting tin, season and bake for 20 mins.
• When the mince is cooked, divide it between the softened peppers. Return to the oven for 10 mins, sprinkled with cheese. Scatter with basil leaves before serving.

SAUSAGE AND RICE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Slice tops off of green peppers; remove seeds and membranes, and rinse well. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add peppers and cook for 15 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
• Place sausage and onions in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Reduce heat to medium and stir in tomato soup, water, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low, stir in 3/4 of cheese and simmer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Prepare instant rice according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and then stir into tomato mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Spoon rice mixture into peppers.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on peppers and place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add sausage, and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 cup water; cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous.
• Fill pepper halves with couscous mixture. Arrange peppers in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until peppers are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil, and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted and peppers are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.

GROUND BEEF STUFFED GREEN BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut each bell pepper lengthwise in half.
• Wash the insides and outsides of the peppers after removing the seeds and membranes.
• Cook the peppers in the boiling salted water for 5 minutes then drain and set aside. Cook and stir the meat, onion and celery in a large skillet until the meat is brown.
• Drain off the excess fat. Stir in half of the tomato sauce and the remaining ingredients, heat to boiling then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Place the peppers, cut sides up, in an ungreased baking pan 9 X 9 X 2 or 8 X 8 X 2-inches.
• Spoon the meat filling into each of the pepper half evenly and then cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 25 minutes then uncover and top with the remaining tomato sauce and bake an additional 5 minutes.

GROUND BEEF STUFFED GREEN BELL PEPPERS WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut off the tops of green peppers; discard seeds and membranes.
• Chop enough of the tops to make 1/4 cup, set aside.
• Cook the whole green peppers, uncovered in boiling water for about 5 minutes; invert to drain well.
• Sprinkle insides of the peppers lightly with salt.
• In a skillet cook ground beef, onion and 1/4 cup chopped pepper till meat is browned and vegetables are tender.
• Drain off excess fat. Add drained tomatoes, salt, Worcestershire, and a dash of pepper.
• in a separate pot put water bring to boil add rice cook until rice is soft. if needed add more water.
• add rice to beef mixture.
• Stir in cheese. Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Place in a 10x6x2 baking dish.
• Bake, covered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. in the last 5 minutes add any remaining cheese to the top of the peppers.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED CHERRY PEPPER POPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 pie plates with aluminum foil.
• Pinch about 1/2 teaspoon sausage off and roll into a small oval shape. Stuff the sausage piece into a pepper. Repeat with remaining sausage and peppers.
• Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into each foil-lined pie plate and divide the stuffed peppers into each one. Rotate the plates to roll and coat poppers in the oil.
• Roast poppers in the preheated oven until the sausage is cooked through and the poppers are very slightly dried out, about 20 minutes. Let cool before serving. Arrange onto a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH MERGUEZ SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Prepare leaves:
• Unfurl stacks of grape leaves into a large bowl of water (leaves should remain stacked) and gently agitate without separating leaves. Blanch stacks in batches in a large saucepan of boiling water 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to a colander and refresh under cold running water.
• Make filling:
• Finely grate zest from lemons and squeeze 1/2 cup juice.
• Bring water with salt to a boil in a large saucepan and stir in rice. Cook rice, covered, over moderately low heat until water is absorbed, 17 to 20 minutes, and transfer rice to a large bowl.
• Remove sausage from casings and cook in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring to break up lumps, until no longer pink. Cool to room temperature and crumble into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Cook onion with 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft but not browned and stir into rice with zest, 1/4 cup lemon juice, sausage, nuts, dill, parsley, currants, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill and roll grape leaves:
• Arrange 1 grape leaf, smooth side down, on a kitchen towel. Trim stem flush with leaf (if leaf is extra large, trim to about 5 1/2 inches wide), saving any trimmings. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling onto leaf near stem end and tightly roll up filling in leaf, folding in sides and squeezing roll to pack filling. (Roll should be about 3 1/2 inches long.) Make more rolls using remaining filling in same manner.
• Cook grape leaves:
• Heat broth just to a simmer and keep warm, covered. Line bottom of a large heavy pot with leaf trimmings and any remaining whole leaves and arrange rolls, seam sides down, close together in layers over leaves, seasoning each layer with salt. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons oil and remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice and cover with an inverted heatproof plate slightly smaller than pan, pressing down gently.
• Add just enough broth to reach rim of plate and bring to a boil. Cook rolls at a bare simmer, covered with plate and lid, 50 minutes (stuffed leaves should be tender, but filling should not be mushy). Remove from heat and transfer rolls with tongs to large trays to cool, brushing with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until cool.