‘Tis the season when I find myself reaching for that extra cup of tea (with an extra piece of chocolate too..) and re-discover my love for comfort foods in general.
Mom’s stuffed peppers are a comfort food classic in our house. I am always so happy when she makes the peppers, even though I am perfectly capable of making them on my own – and they taste even better, if we do it together!
So, the thing here is that you do not cook the rice first, instead, you add it to the meat filling uncooked and let it cook in the stock once it is inside of the pepper. One less step for you, and it keeps the rice from getting overcooked inside.
Also, make sure you layer lots of vegetables (the carrots, tomatoes, and onions) on top of the stuffed peppers before cooking them. It helps keep the filling moist, adds color and another layer of flavor.
- 6 large red and orange bell peppers
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- a quarter cup curly parsley, chopped
- 3 carrots, grated
- half white onion, grated
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced
- 4 -5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 and a half cups vegetable stock
- salt, pepper
- Hull and core the peppers, first.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, garlic, and the rice. Yes, the rice will cook inside the pepper/in the stock, which will mean the peppers will cook a little longer overall. Season the filling lightly with salt and pepper and mix in the parsley.
- Bring stock to a boil in your largest stockpot (with a lid!), then turn down to a simmer. Stuff each pepper with the filling, packing it pretty tightly to the top. Layer the peppers in the stockpot, covering each with some grated carrots, onions and tomatoes.
- Cover and cook on medium heat for about 30-40 minutes.
Let the peppers cool slightly before taking them out carefully with a pair of kitchen tongs. Serve with a little bit more parsley – if you like it – and a dollop of rich sour cream.
chef mimi says
These look great!
saffronandhoney says
thank you!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Stuffed peppers are such a heartwarming dish. I haven’t made them in a while so thanks for inspiring me to have some soon.
saffronandhoney says
Heartwarming is a great way to describe them!