The Stuffed Vegetable (Cross-Cultural)

Ingredients

• 4 bell peppers (red or yellow, 200g each), tops removed, seeds cleared
• 200g ground lamb or beef
• 120g long-grain rice (Basmati preferred)
• 80g yellow onions, minced fine
• 40g fresh parsley, minced
• 20g fresh mint, minced
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 100ml beef or lamb stock
• 40g tomato paste, San Marzano origin preferred
• 80ml water
• 6g Tellicherry black pepper
• 10g fine sea salt
• 5g ground cumin
• 2g ground cinnamon

Method

1. 1
   Heat 25ml olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; sweat minced onions 5 minutes until translucent.
2. 2
   Add ground meat, breaking into small pieces; cook 6 minutes until no pink remains; drain excess fat.
3. 3
   Stir in uncooked rice, tomato paste, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes until paste caramelizes slightly.
4. 4
   Remove from heat; fold in fresh parsley and mint.
5. 5
   Pack rice mixture firmly into prepared pepper cavities, mounding slightly at top; stand peppers upright in a baking dish.
6. 6
   Combine stock and water; pour around (not into) peppers; drizzle tops with remaining 25ml olive oil.
7. 7
   Cover with foil; bake at 180°C for 28 minutes until peppers are tender-skinned and rice is cooked through.
8. 8
   Uncover and rest 3 minutes; serve warm with pan juices spooned over.