Grilled Chilli-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Grilled Chilli-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers are one of my favorite dishes to prepare!  They’re fun, easy and a hit at backyard barbecue parties!

Now you can make these two different ways: the slow way and the fast way.  I’ll explain them both and you can decide which route you’d like to take.

The Slower, More Delicious Way

First, you’ll have to decide on what kind of chilli you want.  I like to go with a really good beef and bean chilli because that’s always a crowd pleaser!  One of my favorite recipes comes from Canadian Living Magazine which you can find below.

Chilli (Fills 4 Peppers)

• 1 lb (454 g) lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) hot pepper sauce
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) bean medley, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, chilli powder, thyme, salt, pepper, oregano and hot pepper sauce; fry, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
2. In a separate frying pan, sauté beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Once beef is cooked and onions are softened, add beef to the vegetables in the pot and stir.
4. Stir in tomatoes and beans; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
   

While the chilli is simmering, it’s time to prepare your bell peppers!

Bell Peppers

1. When buying your peppers, aim for the largest ones (because they can hold more goodness).
2. Cut off tops of peppers and hollow out (removing all seeds and bitter white parts).
3. Preheat barbecue to medium heat and coat grill in oil.
4. Place peppers on their sides and once you can see grill marks, turn them.  Do this for all 4 “sides” of the pepper.
5. On a tray, stand peppers up and fill with chilli.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and put back on the grill (ON THE TRAY–or they’ll fall over) and continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove, let cool and enjoy!

I chose to top mine with home-made tzatziki sauce (plain yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Combine in food processor or blender to make it quickly).  It adds a really nice punch to the chilli.

The Fast Version

Sometimes the last thing I feel like doing after a long day at the office is slaving away to make a perfect meal.  Thank the lord for short cuts!  If you’re pinched for time or you just don’t flippin’ feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen, the you can:

1. Buy canned chilli and stuff peppers with that (might I recommend Stagg Chilli…it’s awesome!
2. Stuff peppers with chilli and put on a baking sheet and top with shredded cheese (optional).
3. Preheat oven to 350ºF and bake for about 50 minutes, or until cheese starts to brown.
4. Let cool and Enjoy!

Both of these options will leave you with happy taste buds!  So next time your friends come over for dinner, break these bad boys out, sit back and wait for the praise!

Cheers!

Barbecue Sea bass and Citrus Salad

Great Idea from BBC Good Food that I found on “Jono & Jules do food & wine” blog.

Enjoy and happy eating!

Jono & Jules do food & wine

This is such a clever idea, especially if you don’t have one of those fancy things for cooking fish on the barbecue. The fish doesn’t stick to the grill but you still get all the smoky barbecue flavours plus a  delicious spike of citrus. The idea has us thinking of other combinations and we loved the caramelisation that happened to the oranges which gives the dish an extra dimension.

Wine Suggestion: This cries out for a Spanish white, like Albarino or Godello, where the best examples balance a depth of texture with a lightness of being. We drank a Dominio de Tares Godello from Bierzo which was amazing on its own and then with the fish. Perfectly matched.

Barbecue Sea Bass & Citrus Salad – serves 4

• 2-3 large oranges
• zest of 1 lemon (keep the juice for the salad)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 x 300g whole sea bass…

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