When life gives you bell peppers, stuff them! I received a bouquet of green bell peppers for mother’s day and was more than happy to re-visit this recipe from our ninang. It’s an easy dish you need not be afraid to try. And yes, you can use a toaster!
P.S. Is it fancy though? We just thought of a words that rhymes with easy.
Ingredients
1/4 kg ground pork or beef (we used pork for this one)
1 bulb of garlic, chopped
4 medium sized onions, chopped or pureed (using a blender)
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped or pureed
6 to 8 medium sized green bell peppers
1 small carrot, diced
1 small potatoes, cut into cubes
Optional: 2 tbsp tomato paste or anatto seed (atsuete) extract
Cheese
Salt, Pepper and Soy Sauce to season
Procedure
1. Cut off the bell pepper tops and remove its seeds and membranes. You may chop the top parts to add to the ground meat later.
2. Heat the pan and add oil. Once the oil is hot, brown the potatoes. This is my mom’s trick in keeping them firm and prevent them from getting lost in the dish later. We also find that doing so brings out its flavor a little bit more. Set aside.
3. Next, in the same pan, saute garlic, onions, and tomatoes until they turn translucent, and much of the juice has evaporated. You may add a little more oil if the potatoes have absorbed it.
4. Add the pork and brown the meat under medium heat. Add salt, pepper, and about a tablespoon of soy sauce. Wait for its natural oils to come out while stirring from time to time.
5. This is optional, but if you’re like us who want some tang on the dish, add some tomato paste and a cup of water. Mix in the potatoes, carrots, and chopped bell pepper tops at this time as well. Let it simmer until the root crops are tender and the flavors “married”. You’ll want to do some final adjustments with the seasoning here. Try to imagine if the saltiness would be enough to compensate for the unseasoned green bell peppers. Note: The ground meat tends to stick to the pan easily once the tomato paste is added, so keep a close watch.
6. Scoop the sauteed meat into the bell peppers and top with grated cheese. You may use any cheese you like but quick melting ones work best.
7. Pop in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. No need to cook the bell peppers through or else it will get soggy, and frankly, unpleasant to eat. The goal is to have some crunch in every bite of the stuffed bell pepper.
Order your vegetables now from Gulay on the Roll!
Mark x Abi 