Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Peppers
Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Peppers
A friend was in town and stopping by. I wanted to offer her dinner and since I know she doesn’t eat meat- I knew I’d be going vegetarian. While I do eat meat- I often forgo it for meatless options. I looked around at what was on hand. Since there were a couple of sweet pepper in my fridge- these stuffed peppers seemed like a smart way to go. I precooked most of the ingredients so I wouldn’t have to watch them too carefully once in the oven. That way we were free to visit. I did top them with cheese- but you could omit it, if you prefer.
Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Peppers
1 onion, chopped
Oil
¾ c. uncooked brown rice- I used brown jasmine rice
Water or vegetable stock – probably around 3 cup or a bit more
¾ c. lentils, rinsed and drained
2 c. peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes- or 2 c. canned tomatoes
2 – 3 sweet peppers, cut in half and seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ c. marsala wine
2 T. apple cider vinegar
¼ c. chopped parsley
2 t. Tuscan Seasoning- recipe follows- or use an Italian herb blend
Salt and pepper to taste hot sauce to taste
Romano or Parmesan cheese- optional
In soup pot, heat oil and cook onion until it gets tender and a little golden. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice in the oil. Toast the rice a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups stock or water to cover the rice and then bring up to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes. While rice is cooking, place the peppers in a pot of boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and drain peppers. After the rice has been cooking for 20 minutes, add the lentils, garlic and tomatoes, wine, vinegar and seasonings and continue cooking, covered, until the rice and lentils are tender, about 25 more minutes Add more stock, if needed. Rice mixture should be a little runny. Place peppers, cut side up in a shallow baking dish. Spoon in the lentil mixture, dividing it among the 4 pepper halves. Cover dish with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Mixture will be heated through and peppers will be tender. Serve as is – or top with some cheese and return to the oven until cheese melts- about 5 minutes. Makes 4 pepper halves.
Tuscan Seasoning
½ c. dried basil
½ c. dried oregano
½ c. dried marjoram
3 T. dried minced onion
2 T. dried minced garlic
2 T. dried rosemary
2 T. dried parsley
1 t. crushed red pepper
Use this blend in tomato sauce or other Italian dishes. Also, you can add to vinegar and oil with a little salt, if desired, to make a quick salad dressing. Or use for the bread recipe below.
