Stuffed Bell-Peppers - To Be or Not To Be Stuffed
Once a month our whole department from work would go out hiking somewhere in the neighboring hiking trails. Most of them will take their wives and kids. We would hike, play and enjoy our time being together out of the office free of work related worries. After we finish hiking; usually late at night we would end up in the closest restaurant for a cup of coffee, tea or a glass or two of good wine. That was one of the reasons many would bring their wives with. I was single at that time and someone would usually drop me off at home.
I rarely ate outside. I love to cook. Living as a singe forced me to cook. I like to know what I'm eating and I enjoy cooking for others as well. Here is one of my own recipes. I never ever follow cooking recipes. I don't bake.
Now 40+ years later I cook for my whole family. My wife needs the break sometimes and I am glad to oblige. As I've said before I never follow anybody's recipe. I make my own.
This time I'll try to present one of my favorite dishes. Mediterranean stuffed Peppers - my own recipe. I'm not going to stuff them at all.
What you need to have beside the basic ingredients bellow is lots of love. It will bring all the flavors out.
- 3-4 big bell-peppers; green, red or yellow, which ever you like. Cleaned and cut in fairly large pieces.
- 1 large onion (cut in small pieces not larger than ?").
- 4 cloves of garlic (minced) (for roux) (thickener)
- ? pound minced beef meat (regular). Don't worry about fat you need it.
- ? pound minced pork meat. Brings all the nice flavors.
- ? cup Uncle Ben's converted rice. You can use any other rice you prefer.
- 750ml V8 (regular or without MSG)
- ? jalapeno pepper (cut in few rings with seeds)
- 1 bunch of dill weeds (fresh or frozen) (cut in small pieces; as you would cut parsley).
- 1 bay leaf
- Black pepper fresh ground
- Salt (iodized regular or sea salt is fine)
- 2 table spoons of sunflower oil (you can use olive oil if you prefer)
- 1 table spoon all-purpose flour. (for roux)
In large cooking pot (I use 5liter stainless "Lagostina" pot) put 2 tablespoons of oil. Never use any aluminum cooking utensils or dishes unless you want to get Alzheimer's disease. On medium high heat, heat it up. Add onion and let it simmer, while stirring until onions turn glossy. Add meat and cover with the lid. From time to time stir with wooden spoon until meat starts getting nice aroma. This takes about 10 minutes or so. Add rice, peppers and V8. Add jalapeno rings, salt, black pepper and bay leaf.
Let it boil for about 5 minutes on medium low heat; if it boils longer all rice will get mushy. In the mean-time make a thickener (roux) from oil, garlic and flour.
How to make roux? In a small frying pan or a small cooking pan put oil; 2-3 tablespoons. Turn heat on medium high. Add minced garlic. Stir for about 1 minute or so. Don't let it get brown. Add 1 ? table spoon of flour and stir again until becomes slightly beige. Turn the heat off. Add more oil if you need to.
Pour the hot roux over the boiling pot content and stir it occasionally. Don't let it boil more than 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the pot finish cooking without any heat from the burner. There is enough heat in the pot to finish cooking without stove being turned on. Leave it on the stove for the next 20 minutes to ? hour. Put dill weeds in the pot and mix it once thoroughly. Dill weeds are the last thing you put into the pot. Put the lid back and keep it closed.
A half an hour later the content should be all done. Try if you need to add some more salt. Salt will bring all the taste out. You might not need much if you use regular V8 juice; it's salty enough.
Always taste while cooking. Put all your love in cooking and you'll be pleasantly surprised how good it will taste.
Serve in soup bowl with bread; I prefer rye bread. Eat with fork or with soup spoon. If dish is thick enough I'll use fork with a piece of bread and dip it in. Ahhh, pure heaven. Don't eat too much unless you're not going to bed right away. Next day will taste even better.
A glass or two of red wine (French Merlot) will complement your fine dish.
Bon Appetit
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