Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers hold a special place in my heart. I love dishes with really spiced ground meat; meat pie, cabbage rolls, kafta and stuffed peppers. I don't know what it is about the combination of cloves, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper that is just magical. 
This is the same filling I use for cabbage rolls. It is so good. As you can see I don't waste the extra filling. It's so good you don't even need the pepper, you can eat it all on its own:). 
This time I used ground chicken, because that's what was in the freezer. You can use any type of ground meat you want, beef, turkey, pork, lamb (ground lamb, plus curry and raisins.mmmm) 

I started by browning an onion and a few cloves of garlic in some olive oil. Then I took a can of whole tomatoes, and crushed them with my hand. I put a few into the bottom of the baking dish and the rest into the pan along with the remaining juice. Salt and pepper, then let it cook down a little.
The I added the meat to the pan. I find it easier to get ground meat to a good texture if there is a bit of liquid in the pan, so add the meat before all the tomato juice is gone. (add water if needed) I cooked it till it was done. If you were using a more fatty type of meat you should brown it an drain it first.
I added 1/2 cup of washed rice. It could have easily filled 4 peppers. When I put the rice in I thought for sure it wouldn't be enough, but it was don't worry. And 1 1/2cup of water.
Now spices! I don't measure in real life, I add and add until it tastes right. If I had to make a conservative guess at how much I put in; 1tsp ground cloves, 1tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 2tsp ground cinnamon, 1tsp ground pepper. 
Let the rice cook. Not until is is 100% done, not too hard tho. Stir the rice often. 
You have to taste and see what you think. This might be enough spice for you. It may not be enough. Does it need more salt?Adjust it, make it your own. 
Then clean your peppers. I like to bake the lid with the peppers for presentation but you don't need them. I try to cut them close to the stem. Clean out all the seeds and pith. Then stuff 'em.
When I had them all stuffed and in the pan I added any extra filing around the peppers for support and snacking. 
I drizzled some oil on top, covered the pan with foil, and I baked them at 350ºF for an hour-hour and a half. Until your house smells awesome.
I need to eat mine with a little sour cream. You don't have to, but if you really want your stuffed pepper experience to be something special, go for it. 
Easy, delicious, satisfying, home cooked treat. Try it out.




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