Stuffed (Half) Peppers with Curry Rice

Stuffed peppers weren’t a regular part of my mother’s repertoire for supper (remember, she never calls it dinner), but she did make them every once in a while, and when she did I considered it a treat. I remember how good the peppers smelled as they cooked on the stovetop. I never really thought about making stuffed peppers myself. It always seemed like so much work—removing those pesky, little pepper seeds, preparing the meat, stuffing them, standing at the stove turning each pepper so they fry on all sides while making sure the meat stayed in. Pfft...Too much trouble. But recently I was at my mom’s and she said, “I made stuffed peppers last night. Want one?” I couldn’t resist and all it took was one bite to remind me how delicious they are. I noticed that instead of cutting the top off and stuffing the whole pepper, she cut it lengthwise and stuffed each side. “It makes like a boat and it's so much easier to fry just the one side,” she said. OK, I was convinced to give it a shot. She stuffs her with ground beef but I used ground turkey, so use whichever you prefer. I wasn’t sure if this would be a hit with the boys so I also made a big pot of cheese tortellini and spinach soup…just in case. Let’s just say I have leftover soup! —Diana

You’ll need:

4 or 5 peppers, green, red or a combination, cut lengthwise, de-seeded and stem removed

1 ½ pounds ground meat, turkey or beef

1 can diced tomatoes

1 box Goya Curry Rice with Carrots and Onions, prepared as directed (or use your favorite rice)

1 onion, cut in slices

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Grated parmesan cheese, as much or as little as you like

Pepper, to taste

Italian seasoning

Worcestershire sauce, a few shakes of the bottle

Olive oil

In a bowl, season the meat with the pepper, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, cheese, and whatever else you may like. Be creative! Add 4 or 5 spoonfuls of the cooked rice. Use your judgment on how rice much to add. Put the remainder of the cooked rice to the side. 

Stuff the peppers. Go twice around a large heated skillet with the olive. When the oil is hot add the peppers and cook until the bottom is a little charred. Remove the peppers from the pan. Some people like to clean the pan and put in fresh oil, but I like to use the oil that is now flavored with the pepper and add the garlic and onions. Let that cook for a minute or two and then add the diced tomatoes. Put the peppers back in the skillet, cover and cook on medium-low for about an hour (or until the meat is thoroughly cooked and the peppers are tender).

Put the rice in a bowl, add a pepper or two, and top with the tomatoes and onions. You won't even need a knife!