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Peppers Stuffed with Rice

Serve cold as a first course. Choose peppers that can stand on their bases.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups short-grain or risotto rice
Salt and pepper
1–2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 tablespoons currants
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons dry mint
3 tablespoons chopped dill or parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
6 medium green or red bell peppers

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fry the onion in 3 tablespoons of the oil until soft. Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated and translucent. Pour in 2 1/2 cups water and add salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well, and cook 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed but the rice is still a little underdone. Stir in the pine nuts, currants, tomato, cinnamon, allspice, mint, dill or parsley, lemon juice, and the rest of the oil.

    Step 2

    To stuff the peppers, cut a circle around the stalk end and set aside to use as caps (with the stalk). Remove the cores and seeds with a spoon, and fill with the rice mixture. Replace the caps. Arrange side by side in a shallow baking dish, pour about 3/4 inch of water into the bottom, and bake at 375°F for 45–55 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Serve cold.

  2. Variation

    Step 3

    Stuff the peppers with meat filling or meat and rice filling, and serve hot.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
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