Stuffed Green Peppers with Coconut Tomato Sauce - James Prescott

Ingredients for Stuffing

• 2 1/4 US cups (530 ml) water
• 1/2 US teaspoon (3 ml) (4 g) salt
• 1 US cup (235 ml) (150 g) short grain brown rice
• 1 US cup (235 ml) onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/3 US cup (80 ml) olive oil
• 1/3 of a red pepper (capsicum), chopped
• 2 large mushrooms, in medium-sized chunks
• 1/3 US cup (80 ml) (25 g) pine nuts
• 2 ounces (60 g) Asiago cheese, coarsely grated
• 1/4 US cup (60 ml) (50 g) dried currants (see Note 1)
• 5 US teaspoons (25 ml) (25 g) black bean sauce (see Note 2)
• 2 US teaspoons (10 ml) (2 g) dried marjoram
• 2 US teaspoons (10 ml) (4 g) caraway seeds
• 1 1/2 US teaspoon (7 ml) (4 g) ground allspice

Instructions for Stuffing

Bring the salted water to a boil, add the rice, return to the boil, simmer covered on very low heat 45 minutes or until cooked, let stand until coolish.

Cook the onions and garlic in a medium-sized frying pan with the olive oil on medium heat until the onion bits start to become transparent. Do not let the garlic slices burn. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, and pine nuts. Keep an eye on the frying pan, as the pine nuts can go from nice to burnt very fast.

Add the cooked mixture to the cooled rice, and then add the cheese, currants, black bean sauce, marjoram, caraway seeds, and allspice. Mix thoroughly.

Note 1: With the dried currants it is better to add too little than to add too much.

Note 2: Check the Chinese food section of stores for black bean sauce.

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2/3 US cup (160 ml) coconut cream (see Note 3)
• 1 US teaspoon (5 ml) (1 g) dried mint
• 1 small can (5 1/2 US fluid ounces (160 ml)) of tomato paste
• 2 US tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

Instructions for Sauce

Heat the coconut cream, add the mint, tomato paste, and lemon juice. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Note 3: If coconut cream is not available, mix 1 ounce (30 g) of dry coconut powder into 2/3 US cup (160 ml) of milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it starts to thicken.

Ingredients for Peppers

• 4 or 5 large green peppers (capsicum) that can stand on their own bases, or a greater number of small green peppers

Instructions for Peppers

Parboil the green peppers in a pot of briskly boiling water for 2 minutes or so, not much longer. Let cool a bit. Slice the tops off so that the stalk is attached to the top by only a thin skin. Remove seeds and white matter. Keep bases and tops paired.

Fill the green peppers with the stuffing mixture, put the tops back on, stand them in a greased dish, add 1/4 inch of water or stock, rest a sheet of foil loosely on top of the peppers, put into oven at 350° F (175° C) for 40 minutes.

Remove the green peppers from the oven, pour half of the sauce over the tops of the peppers, and return to the oven without the foil for another 15 minutes.

Serve, with the remaining sauce heated in a gravy boat (see Note 4).

Note 4: One can instead make Green Pepper Boats. Carefully remove the stem from the parboiled green peppers and discard. Cut the green peppers into sixths, put stuffing into each 'boat', put each boat into a greased dish, add 1/4 inch of water or stock, rest a sheet of foil loosely on top of the peppers, put into oven at 350° F (175° C) for 40 minutes. Remove the boats from the oven, place a teaspoon or two of sauce on the top of each boat (use up all the sauce), and return to the oven without the foil for another 15 minutes.