Rice has for centuries been the obvious contender for stuffing a pepper—and indeed eggplant or a beefsteak tomato—flavored with caramelized onions, golden raisins, and musky raisins, and seasoned with capers, anchovies, cinnamon, or cumin. Small grains—cracked wheat, brown rice, the underused quinoa—are eminently suitable fillings, as is any type of small bean, lentil, or the plump, pearl-shaped couscous known as mograbiah. Vegetable stuffings can set the pepper alight. Piercing, cherrysized tomatoes, such as Sungold or Gardener’s Delight, or chunks of sweet steamed pumpkin offer more than just jewel colors to lift the spirits. They have a brightness of flavor very different from the humble, homely grains. They offer a change of step. A few hand-torn chunks of mozzarella and some olive oil will produce a seductive filling. Ground beef, the knee-jerk filling, somehow makes my heart sink. Mograbiah, sometimes known as pearl couscous, takes the idea on a bit, having the comforting, frugal qualities of rice but possessing an extraordinary texture, poised between pasta and couscous. Made of wheat and similar to Sardinian fregola, it is available at Middle Eastern markets.
Recipe information
Yield
enough for 4
Ingredients
For the Stuffing
For the Yogurt Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To make the stuffing, cook the couscous in plenty of well-salted boiling water (use the same amount of salt you would to cook pasta) for about fifteen minutes, until tender. Drain and toss lightly with a little olive oil to stop the “pearls” sticking together.
Step 2
Meanwhile, finely chop the green onions, discarding only the very darkest of the green shoots, and let them soften over medium heat in a glug or two of olive oil. Just before they start to color, add the garlic, then the paprika and the grated lemon zest. Stir in the chopped herbs and the toasted pine nuts. When all is fragrant and starting to darken a little in color, stir in the drained mograbiah and the lemon juice. Season carefully.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut the peppers in half, tug out the seeds and cores, and lay the halves, cut side up, in an ovenproof baking pan. Pile the filling into the peppers, drizzle over a little more olive oil, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for about forty-five minutes, until sizzling.
Step 4
To make the sauce, mix the yogurt with the herbs, paprika, and a grinding of black pepper. Spoon it over the peppers at the table.
