Cooking with Sweet Bell Peppers

Roasted Red Pepper Dip, Baked Barley Stuffer Pepper Recipes

© Michael Vyskocil

Mar 23, 2008

Most of us divide peppers into two categories, sweet and hot. Some like the spicy heat of chili peppers, while others prefer the mellow flavor of sweet peppers. If you have a garden, sweet peppers are easily grown from seed, allowing you to enjoy a freshly-picked pepper that you grew yourself. You can also find sweet peppers at your local supermarket year round. One of the most common varieties of peppers available is the green pepper, which you’ve probably used when making stuffed peppers.

If you’re looking for an updated version of this family favorite, try making Baked Barley Stuffed Peppers, which uses the red, yellow and orange pepper varieties as the container for a tasty filling of barley, tomatoes and ground beef. Taking the place of rice, the barley, in combination with the carrots and tomatoes, provides a delicious spin on a familiar comfort food.

When you think of cooking with peppers, you probably don’t think of using them in dips. When you prepare a batch of Roasted Red Pepper dip, you’ll have a tangy and tasty dip to serve at parties or family gatherings. Because it’s so unusual and different, you might even be able to persuade your children to eat their vegetables.

The next time you’re grocery shopping, consider reaching for those colorful, flavorful peppers and put them to use in a variety of creative recipes.

Baked Barley Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow sweet pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 large red sweet pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 large orange sweet pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
• Coarse salt, for cooking water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, sliced very thin
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked barley (either the regular or quick-cooking variety)
• 1 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1/3 cup grated carrots
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 3 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan, cook the pepper halves in a large amount of boiling, salted water for about 3 to 5 minutes, or just until the peppers are tender. Invert the pepper halves over paper towels to drain.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the beef is browned. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain off the excess fat.
4. Transfer the cooked beef and vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the barley, tomatoes, carrots, coriander, cilantro, basil and parsley. Add 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese.
5. Arrange the drained pepper halves in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon an equal amount of the beef mixture into each of the pepper halves. Cover the dish with a piece of parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, remove the peppers from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese over the peppers. Return the peppers, uncovered, to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make-ahead tip: Assemble the peppers as directed. Place the pepper halves in the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, bake the peppers, covered with a piece of parchment paper, in a 350-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and bake, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip Recipe

Makes 1 1/2 Cups Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 roasted sweet red bell peppers
• 1 roasted red chili pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• Assorted vegetables for dipping, such as whole small carrots, broccoli florets or zucchini slices
• Tortilla chips, for dipping

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the roasted sweet red bell peppers, chili pepper, cream cheese, olive oil, sugar and garlic. Cover and process until the mixture is smooth. Add the basil; pulse until combined.
2. Transfer the dip to a serving container. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Serve with assorted vegetables and tortilla chips, for dipping.

Serving Suggestion: Instead of serving the Roasted Red Pepper Dip in a bowl, make your buffet table look elegant by using a bell pepper shell as a container. Remove the top of any color sweet bell pepper, remove the seeds and the membranes and rinse out the inside. Fill the empty shell with the dip. The pepper container will look attractive on your table, plus you won’t have to wash another bowl!

Baked Stuffed Peppers

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