Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Name: Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Raisins, and Pine Nuts
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 1 large onion, finely chopped; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 1/4 cups short-grain or risotto rice; Salt and pepper; 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar; 3 tablespoons pine nuts; 3 tablespoons currants or tiny black raisins; 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 2 tablespoons chopped mint; 2 tablespoons chopped dill; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley; Juice of 1 lemon; 6 medium green or red bell peppers; To serve: 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt mixed with 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)

December 9, 2011

This is the classic Turkish rice filling for vegetables to be served cold. Choose plump bell peppers that can stand on their base. I prefer to use red peppers because they are sweeter and for the color, but in Turkey green ones are more often used.

Recipe information

Yield
serves 6

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/4 cups short-grain or risotto rice

Salt and pepper

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons pine nuts

3 tablespoons currants or tiny black raisins

1 large tomato, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped dill

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

6 medium green or red bell peppers

To serve: 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt mixed with 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
For the filling, fry the onion in 3 tablespoons oil until soft. Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated and translucent. Pour in 2 cups water and add salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed but the rice is still a little underdone. Stir in the pine nuts, currants or raisins, tomato, cinnamon, allspice, mint, dill, parsley, and lemon juice, as well as the rest of the oil.
Step 2
Retaining the stalk, cut a circle around the stalk end of the peppers and set to one side to use as caps. Remove the cores and seeds with a spoon and discard. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture, and replace the caps.
Step 3
Arrange the peppers side by side in a shallow baking dish, pour about water into the bottom, and bake in the oven preheated to 375°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Be careful that they do not fall apart.
Step 4
Serve cold, accompanied, if you like, by a bowl of yogurt beaten with or without crushed garlic.

Arabesque

TagsTurkish Middle Eastern Bell Pepper Vegetable Rice Rice & Grains Pine Nut Nut Raisin Dried Fruit Fruit Dried Currant Starter Main Dinner Dairy Free Gluten Free Vegan Vegetarian Easy Oven Bake Ramadan Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Recipe notes