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california stuffed peppers |
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Monday, 29 August 2011 |
california stuffed peppers
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A few weeks ago I wanted to adapt a classic recipe called California Rice that involves mixing roasted, diced Anaheim peppers with rice, sour cream and cheese and baking it as a casserole. But I wanted to turn it inside out and stuff the filling into roasted peppers. It took a call from Martha Stewart Radio to motivate me to do it and am I glad I did. They're great as a vegetarian entree (serve 2 per person) or with anything you've got on the grill.
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serves 2 to 4
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prep time: 30 minutes |
bake time: 30 minutes |
4 Anaheim chile peppers
1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
kernels from 1 ear white corn (or 1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels)
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled feta
salt and pepper
olive oil
1/4 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
Tomato-Basil Salsa, optional (see below)
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Adjust an oven rack so it is about 6 inches under the broiler (usually the second rung) and turn the broiler on. Place the peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and put it on the rack under the broiler. Cook, turning peppers a few times with tongs, until every side is blistered and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes total (don't char them; see note below). Remove pan from broiler and place a clean dishtowel over the peppers to steam them. Turn off broiler, then turn on the oven to 375°.
While the peppers steam, combine the rice, corn kernels, sour cream and feta in a medium bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Rub a little olive oil over the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to fit the peppers in one snug layer, like an oval gratin dish or an 8-inch square baking pan.
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, pull off and discard the skins (if pepper flesh is very thin, you can leave the skins on). Lay peppers on a cutting board and with a small knife, cut a slit in one side of each pepper. Holding a pepper in one hand, use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and the ribs from inside; try not to break the pepper open too much, but if you do, you can push it back together when it’s filled. Clean out all the peppers, then lay them back down on the cutting board. Wash your hands (important to get the stinging chile juices off your fingers). Spoon the rice mixture evenly into the cavities of the peppers, about 1/2 cup in each, then lay peppers in the oiled baking dish, molding the flesh around the filling as needed to reshape them. Arrange peppers tightly, so they are almost touching, to keep the sides from flopping open. Sprinkle tops evenly with the jack cheese.
Bake peppers until filling is hot through and cheese on top is melted, about 30 minutes. If desired serve with a ribbon of tomato-basil salsa across the middle of each pepper.
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Tomato-Basil Salsa: In a small bowl, mix together 2 medium ripe red tomatoes that have been seeded and chopped; 1 clove garlic, pressed; 4 to 6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin shreds; and enough good olive oil to moisten it all. Season with salt and set aside until ready to use.
note: You don't want to blacken the peppers as much as you do when you char them for dicing, slicing or to make chiles rellenos. Just blister them enough so that they can be peeled, but still hold their shape.
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