(Serves 4-6)
Total prep time: 30 minutes Total cook time: 50 minutes (approx.)
Stuffing: 30 minutes
Cooking stuffed peppers: 50 minutes
Pairs well with Parducci Cabernet Sauvignon, Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc
Ingredients:
6 large Bell Peppers of your choice or Poblano (or combination of both) Tops of peppers removed, stem discarded, and chopped.
2 lbs. or 2 Packages ground turkey (you can use beef or chicken if you prefer)
1 cup cooked rice or cooked quinoa
3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 scallions cut up
6-7 mushroom caps finely sliced and halved
1.5 cups shredded Parmesan
1 Tbsp. Garlic powder
1 Tsp Black pepper
1 Tsp crushed red pepper
1-2 Tbsps. Sriracha
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Canola oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) spray
2oz water
Equipment: Large Sauté Pan, Large Colander, baking dish large enough to stand the peppers up while cooking/note: Poblano peppers will not stand on their own, prop against other peppers.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Take your washed peppers and lightly coat the outside with canola oil spray or EVOO. Set aside in your baking dish
In a large sauté pan using 2 Tbsp. of olive oil (or enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan) over a low medium flame heat oil adding the chopped pepper tops, scallions & chopped garlic, cover and simmer for approximately 3-5 minutes enough for pepper tops to begin softening. Add in your ground turkey, breaking it up in the pan and stirring the mixture. Sprinkle ½ Tbsp. garlic powder – set aside the other ½ Tbsp., crushed red pepper & black pepper over the meat and veggies while stirring & browning the meat. Add in mushrooms once the meat begins to brown.
Once your ground turkey is cooked through, using your colander, pour the entire mixture into the colander draining the cooking juice.
Nicely re-coat your Sauté pan with olive oil returning the meat & veggie mixture to the pan over a lower flame; Sprinkle the remaining garlic powder over the meat, stirring in 1-2 Tbsps. Sriracha followed by mixing in your rice or quinoa and ¾ cup shredded parmesan.
The mixture should be moist, add 2oz of water as needed.
Once combined (approximately 3-5 minutes) turn off the flame and stuff your peppers. Once each pepper is stuffed use the remaining shredded Parmesan to sprinkle over the tops of the meat mixture in your peppers.
Place the stuffed peppers in preheated oven and bake covered with aluminum foil for 35 minutes. Uncovered the peppers and continue baking for 20 minutes.
Peppers should be tender and able to pierce the sides with a fork or toothpick.
