Sunday, August 30, 2009

Oven Roasted Bell Peppers with Beef (meat)


INGREDIENTS:
6 large bell peppers (or 8 smallish), red and yellow
1/2 kilo ground beef (or about 1 pound)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup bulgur, soaked in cold water and drained
1 spicy green pepper, chopped finely
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon sumac
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper

These roasted peppers are so delicious, they surprised me especially since I don't generally like roasted peppers. The stuffing in these peppers is so tasty that your guests will want seconds, so make enough for everyone! The peppers have a distinctly mediterranean taste because of the paprika and the sumac. If you have never cooked with sumac, or don't know what it is, don't worry. The spice is becoming more and more common. If you can't find it at your local grocery store, and you don't have an 'ethnic' food shop or spice store in your area, you may want to try shopping online. The sumac adds a distinctly sour taste that gives the meat a delicious savory flavor in contract to the sweetness of the bell peppers. All the flavors blend together really well in this dish, so don't be afraid even if you don't generally like complex foods. These peppers are phenomenal.

Preheat oven to 200 C (about 390 F).

Wash the peppers and cut the tops off. Clean out the inside of the peppers and set closely together in a baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, onion, garlic, bulgur, spicy pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, paprika, sumac, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well with your hands. Once mixed together, stuff the peppers with the beef mixture, placing the pepper caps back on top.

Place in the oven, uncovered, and cook for 30-40 minutes until the tops have slightly burned. Cover the peppers with aluminum foil and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately, or can made ahead of time and served at room temperature. Enjoy!

No comments:

Post a Comment