Stuffed Bell Peppers Deconstructed - Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Every so often a Blast From the Past thought occurs to me, usually not one I'd write about here, but this one was about food, so ... I was thinking, I should make stuffed bell peppers ... it's probably been a hundred years since I made them, but now I really want one.

Then I saw a recipe for slow cooker stuffed bell peppers, so I pondered that for a bit. Then I got really clever and asked myself why, if I like them so much, I haven't made them in a hundred years. It wasn't because they were baked in the oven, so the slow cooker wouldn't help.

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The reason I haven't made them, I decided, is that I really don't like all that bell pepper. A big hunk of bell pepper really isn't that appealing. That's when I decided to get out my old recipe and deconstruct it. Of course, that means it isn't as "cute" as tidy little individual stuffed peppers.

But, to tell you the truth, it's not always about making it "cute" for me; sometimes it's just about getting something on the table! Am I right?!

Stuffed Bell Peppers Deconstructed - Unstuffed Bell Peppers

(Makes 6 servings)

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) very lean ground turkey or beef
2 teaspoons ground dried chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small green bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked rice
1 firmly packed cup (4 ounces/113 grams) coarsely shredded cheddar or jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 If you don't already have cooked rice on hand, cook enough rice to make 2 cups.

2 In large skillet over medium heat, cook onion in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, breaking it into small pieces with spoon, until well browned. During cooking, add ground chiles, salt, pepper, marjoram and Worcestershire sauce.

3 Add the diced bell peppers to the well browned ground meat; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and rice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with cilantro. 

4 Serve as is or in cute little individual pots (like my Le Creuset Cast Iron Mini Cocottes) or as burrito filling for flour tortillas. If you do the little pots, you can put them on quarter sheet pan, top with a little extra cheese, and pop them into a 350F/180C/Gas4 oven for maybe 20 minutes or so for that real Stuffed Bell Peppers effect.

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