Stuffed Peppers
This is a very popular Russian dish. If available, please substitute the cubanelle peppers for the bell – their flesh is thinner and allows for a more delicate dish – similar to the peppers in Russia.
Serves 4
8 medium sweet bell peppers (or cubanelle, if available)
0.5 lb ground pork
0.5 lb ground beef
0.5 cup rice
1 egg
1 carrot
1 onion
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
0.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
Put the rice into a pot.
Add 1 cup of water, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and place over the medium fire.
Cook for 5 minutes after the water boils.
Take the pot with the rice off the stove, cover and let cool. The rice will absorb the remaining liquid.
Prepare the peppers. Remove the stem cutting in a slightly wider circle around it. Remove the seeds inside and rinse the peppers well.
Now you should have cone-shaped pepper shells ready for stuffing.
Prepare the stuffing.
Mix together the cooled-off rice and the meat. Break in the egg and sprinkle with the half of a teaspoon of the salt.
Carefully stuff the peppers with the meat mixture.
In order to fit as much of the stuffing inside as possible, make sure to push the stuffing first into the very tip of the pepper and then fill the rest.
Place the peppers in one or two layers into a thick-bottomed pot.
Prepare the sauce.
Grate the carrot, finely chop the onion, slice the garlic into large circles.
Transfer the cut-up vegetables into a skillet. Add the oil.
Sautee the vegetables over a medium heat for 10 minutes stirring periodically.
Sprinkle with a half of a teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper each and two heaping tablespoons of the tomato paste.
Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes and pour in 1 cup of water.
Stir the sauce well to combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.
Pour in a cup of cold water to the pot with the peppers.
Pour the sauce on top.
There’s no need to stir.
The liquid in the pot should only come up two-thirds of the way up the peppers.
Place the pot on the stove.
As soon as the sauce boils, turn the heat down below the medium. Cover the pot and let the peppers simmer for 35-40 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the peppers when serving.
