If you haven’t done it yet during these festive days (which I doubt), now you have the chance with this delicious post-Christmas, (mostly) veg-based Stuffed Peppers.
PS: mostly veg-based means that it still contains chicken and chorizo, but only in small amounts.
How to start?
First of all, you have to prepare the fillings. You can use your imagination, or your purse.
I used both, and the result was perfect.
Almost perfect, I have to admit. I should have pre-cooked the peppers or leave them longer in the oven because they were not as soft as I wanted them. The taste was delicious though.
If you prepare something the first time and the result is just half-satisfying, don’t be disappointed, next time you will do it to perfection. This is how it starts and there’s nothing wrong with it unless you burn down the house. After a few minor cooking mistakes you’ll be just as good as others.
Except maybe Jamie and Gordon.
It’s quite hard to beat them unfortunately, but one day they might learn something from my (your) cooking show, who knows?
Below you’ll find some ideas.
Before I started to prepare the stuffing, I sprinkled the peppers with some sea salt and olive oil, but you can use herbs, pepper, paprika or whatever you like.
Once you’re done, cook them in the oven, covered with foil until the peppers are soft enough to your liking!
Spinach, chorizo and chickpeas
You can mix these ingredients together in a pan, using some melted butter, salt, pepper and garlic.
It will do with any kind of smoked sausage. You can try the Hungarian smoked sausages as well, which I think is even better. Not because I’m Hungarian. This is not a naughty marketing trick to sell my home made sausages.
I could though…
Sausage anyone?
Mexican Style
If you have some leftover chilli-con carne, or leftover ground meat you can fry it with some garlic, onion and some mixed beans and ta-da you have another stuffing.
Chicken and rice with vegetables
You can add cooked or steamed vegetables to your pre-prepared or leftover chicken and rice. I used chickpeas (again), carrots and garden peas. It was delicious with some freshly chopped parsley on the top.
Ricotta and spinach
All you have to do is to steam the spinach leaves with butter, add some salt and ricotta cheese. You can use cream cheese, too.
It was the easiest one to prepare and maybe even the best.
With some melted cheese on the top the visual effect is even better. I used mozzarella and mild cheddar for melting.
Good luck, and again, go stuff the peppers and then you can go and stuff yourself!
Say Cheese! 