Aegean Stuffed Peppers

If you've got some extra large peppers lying around, this is an incredibly tasty way to utilize their size. You can make these in a vegetarian way, but this recipe does call for ground lamb (you can substitute ground beef). Serve with delicious Cacik (Turkish yogurt sauce), if desired. 

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups medium grain rice, uncooked
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried kekik (Turkish oregano)
• 2 teaspoons pul biber (mild red pepper flakes)
• 2 teaspoons dried mint 
• 2 tablespoons Oil of Anatolia extra virgin olive oil 
• ½ medium yellow onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 4 tomatoes, cored (save the insides for cooking)
• 1 pound ground beef (with a little fat) or a mixture of half ground beef and half ground lamb
• 3 tomatoes, sliced medium thickness
• 2 tablespoons spicy red pepper paste (you can use mild instead)
• 8 small green peppers or 4 large ones, tops cut off and seeds removed 
• 4 tablespoons red pepper paste (spicy or mild), or tomato paste, OR a mixture of both (2 tablespoons of each) 

FOR FINISHING:

• 2-4 cups boiling water 
• Pinch of sea salt
• Drizzle a bit of Oil of Anatolia extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh mint and/or parsley for garnish

Directions 

Mix the rice with one teaspoon each of the spices: cumin, salt, black pepper, kekik (Turkish oregano), pul biber (mild ground red pepper) and dried mint. Soak in very hot or boiling water for ½ hour. 

To a medium saucepan, add the soaking rice and 2 extra cups of water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. 

While the rice is cooking, gently warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion, garlic, and the insides of the tomatoes that were cored. Cook until all the tomato juices have evaporated and the onions are translucent. Add the meat and the remaining amount of spices. Add the tomato and/or red pepper paste. Cook thoroughly for about 10-12 minutes on medium-high heat. Set aside to let cool. 

In a large bowl, mix the partially cooked rice and the cooked meat together until all ingredients are well-combined. 

Next, line a deep-bottom pan such a Dutch oven with the sliced tomatoes so that you can place the peppers on top when each one is stuffed. 

Stuff each pepper with the rice/meat mixture until almost full. Place the tops on each one then into the pan on top of the tomatoes. Place them close together and upright. 

Make a simple liquid to pour over the simmering stuffed peppers: mix tomato paste and/or hot pepper paste with some hot water and a little salt. Pour over the entire batch of peppers, about half way up. Simmer for 45 minutes to one hour, covered, meanwhile pour a few tablespoons (one small Turkish tea glass) of olive oil on top of the mixture once it’s been cooking for about 20 minutes or so. 

Remove and serve hot with the caçik/yogurt sauce (get recipe here) on the side and fresh mint and/or parsley on top. 

This recipe first appeared on MyHalalKitchen.com