Recipe: Stuffed Peppers

Tonight’s meal was something I’d been kicking around for a while. Love stuffed peppers and the idea of doing an all stuffed pepper meal for tonight’s little celebration was perfect as the hearty meat and rice stuffed bell and the chilli rellenos as a tasty side. I’m not giving up what my house spice mix is, but since I don’t divulge what spices I use in it I’ll suggest chilli powder and cumin as a minimum or whatever premix chilli seasoning, taco seasoning, creole seasoning, etc. you prefer.

2 bell peppers
4 poblano peppers
anaheim pepper
onion
celery
garlic
bay leaves
1/2-3/4 ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, buffalo, pork, ostrich, whatever floats your boat)
egg
cornmeal
fresh cilantro
grated cheeses (monteray jack, cheddar and colby)
house spice
oysters (canned smoked)
corn (frozen sweet)
brown rice
stock and bourbon combination (2:1 stock to bourbon and 2:1 ratio liquid to rice)
olive oil
large skillet
small skillet
baking sheet
griddle

remove the top and the seeds from the two bell peppers blanch them in simmering water for two to three minutes and remove the bell peppers to cool
roast 2 poblanos and the anaheim in the broiler, remove charred skins and dice, reserve 1/4
dice the onion, garlic and celery, reserve 1/4

brown up 3/4 of the diced onion, garlic, celery and peppers with the meat, black pepper, bay leaf, and house spice mix in large skillet
add rice while meat as meat is browning
add the bourbon stock mixture and cook covered for 20-30 minutes until rice is tender
remove from heat and allow to cool
blend the corn and the egg in the food processor and work the mixture into the cooled meat and rice mixture along with fresh cilantro, canned smoked oysters
stuff the bell peppers and bake in 350 oven for 20-30 minutes, add a small amount of cheese topping in last 5-10 minutes to melt and brown

roast 2 poblanos in the broiler, peel charred skin from peppers
saute remaining diced pepper, onion and garlic mixture until very soft in small skillet, allow to cool slightly
mix cheeses, integrate cilantro, parsley and cooled onion/pepper mixture
stuff each pepper with cheese mixture.
roll stuffed peppers to coat with cornmeal.
Heat griddle and coat lightly with oil
Sear the peppers, turn only after each side has 2-3 minutes to integrate the cornmeal into the pepper’s flesh, this will stop the cornmeal from flaking off and allow for carmalization of the natural sugars

serve the peppers with a sprig of cilantro in the plating