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January 27, 2005
Stuffed Peppers w/ Lamb and Orzo
Ingredients:
2 large red, yellow, and/or green sweet bell peppers
12 ounces ground lamb or turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
8-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup orzo
1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint, basil, or oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried mint, basil, or oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded kasseri (a strong cheese) or grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Halve peppers lengthwise, removing stem ends, seeds, and membranes. Immerse peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes. (This is because a good fifth of the population is allergic to raw red, yellow, orange, and sometimes green peppers. By boiling them lightly, it takes out the enzyme that creates such a bad reaction.) Remove and sprinkle insides with salt. Invert the peppers onto paper towels to drain well.
Cook the lamb and onion in a skillet for 5 minutes, or until the meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain the fat and stir in stewed tomatoes, uncooked pasta, mint, basil, or oregano, allspice, water, salt, and pepper. (I use a combination of mint and basil, because mint tends to bring out a fresh flavor. Just use a sprinkle of freshly chopped mint, to taste, if you choose to do so as well.) Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Stir in 1/4 cup of the kasseri or Parmesan cheese. Fill peppers with this meat mixture.
Place in a 2 quart square baking dish along with any remaining meat mixture. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 15 minutes, or until it is heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and let stand for 1-2 minutes before serving.
(Orzo is a barley-shaped pasta frequently used in recipes as a substitute for rice. Here it cooks in the stuffing mixture, saving the step of cooking the pasta separately. You usually find it in either a box or a stout plastic package in the pasta isle.)
This recipe serves 4.
Posted by Kelli Little at January 27, 2005 03:59 PM