stuffed capsicums

up until fairly recently i'd thought of capsicums mainly as a summer vegetable but i've noticed my neighbours capsicums ripening throughout winter..this probably shouldn't have surprised me since every winter my chillies do the same..in fact i have dozens of them ripening on my chilli bush that need to be picked and then dried for use over the next twelve months..i've also noticed that they're really cheap at $2/kilo at my grocer's..although having said that i looked at the price in safeway today and they were $8.95/kilo..

today i bought 6 lovely thick fleshed flat bottomed capsicums which were perfect for making stuffed capsicums..i used to make stuffed vegetables quite regularly years ago but i've overlooked them in recent years..in fact i can't remember the last time i made them..i'm so glad i've rediscovered them though because they're cheap and easy to make as well as delicious..

stuffed capsicums (yemistes piperies)

this is a recipe that i've adapted myself over the years from many recipes 

ingredients

6 thick fleshed red capsicums

150 gms minced lamb or beef (i minced my own lamb)

1 medium onion cut fine

1/2 cup short grained rice uncooked

700 mls tomato puree

1/4 cup parsley finely chopped

2 tablespoons currants

1/2 teaspoon (tsp) powdered allspice or to taste

1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper or to taste

1 tsp salt flakes or to taste

1/4 tsp chilli flakes 

1 1/2 tsp sugar

olive oil

water

5 medium potatoes skinned and cut into quarters lengthwise

method

~cut the stalks from the capsicums, trim the back of the stalk, remove seeds and white pith from the inside of the capsicum and wash well

~in a frying pan cook the onion in olive oil until translucent

~add meat and brown

~add rice, currants, parsley, spices, salt and pepper, chilli, half of the tomato puree and 3/4 cup of water

~cook over a low heat stirring occasionally until most of the water has been absorbed

~place 1/4 tsp sugar in each capsicum and then fill with the meat and rice mix

~replace capsicum lid on each capsicum

~place capsicums in a baking tray, add potato wedges, the remainder of tomato puree and a 1/4 cup of water 

~drizzle potatoes and capsicum with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

~cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 180 deg c

~remove foil and cook for a further 45-50 minutes or until the capsicums are well browned and the potatoes are cooked

serve with a green salad

have a happy weekend..x