I'm back from my road trip, summer is becoming a distant memory, and I am slowly embracing the fall. The air is getting crisp and I need to use up the last of the bounty from my garden. Lucky for me, I also have some friends that are in dire need of using up the bounty from their gardens also. I get six gorgeous red peppers that need to be used. Let's make stuffed peppers. Lucky for me again, I make just a little too much stuffing and like any good cook, I will not waste what is in front of me. Challenge accepted food! I will make you into dairy-free Arancini (rice balls)! Prepare to be inundated with deliciousness......
Stuffed Peppers
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons chopped chives (from the garden)
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1.5 Cups of long-grain rice
1 Can of vegetable broth
2 Cups water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Pound sweet Italian sausage
6 medium red bell peppers (sliced in half lengthwise & seeded)
1/4 Cup of fresh basil (from the garden)
2 Cups tomato sauce (I prefer Pastene ground peeled tomatoes none of that Ragu bull****)
2 Tablespoons of Italian breadcrumbs
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 Cup of Italian Breadcrumbs for the Arancini.
Preheat the oven to 375. We're going to make the rice first, it will take the longest. It a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, coat the bottom with 2 T olive oil and add the chives and garlic. Saute these for about 5 minutes, then add the rice. Stir the rice until it is coated in oil and we are also toasted the rice a bit to get additional flavor. After a few minutes, add the vegetable broth and water (we want the liquid to rice ratio to be about 3:1). Turn up the heat to bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmering boil. That basically means to keep the water boiling but at a gentle, lower heat. Cover this pot and let it continue to boil for 20 minutes, at that point all of the water will be absorbed. And don't be tempted to stir it occassionally or check it every five minutes. Leave the lid on and leave the rice alone!
Let's get the sausage cooked! By the way, this meal can remain meat-free if you leave this component out. An alternative to sausage is firm tofu for you vegetarians or ground turkey meat for a lower fat option. You would prepare any of these options the same way. I use a non-stick skillet on medium heat with a Tablespoon of olive oil, put the meat in, and break it into bite-size pieces. If the sweet sausage is in casings, just remove them before putting the meat in the pan. It will take about 15 minutes. Once cooked and broken into bite-size pieces, put into a mixing bowl to cool.
Let's check on that rice. After about 18 minutes I peek under the lid of the pan and see that all of the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover the pan again so that no steam escapes and let sit for about 5 minutes. What this does is give the rice a fluffy consistency once the water is absorbed. After 5 minutes, take off the lid, use an ordinary fork, and "fork" the rice. This means to roughly rake the rice from the bottom as you would leaves on the ground. Put the fork in between the edge of the rice and the pan, with the tangs all the way to the bottom of the pan. Move the fork towards the center of the pan but as you get closer to the center slowly lift the fork upwards. Almost as if you are creating air in between the rice grains. Go gently and try not to break the rice grains.
Hopefully that is descriptive enough. Once the rice has been "forked", add it to the sausage mixture. At this point, also add the basil, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 Cups of tomato sauce. Mix well and set aside.
To the red peppers! Slice lengthwise and remove all seeds (the picture below still shows the peppers with the seeds but I wanted to show how I sliced them).
In a baking dish, pour 2 T of olive oil in the bottom and spread evenly. With a spoon, fill the halved peppers with the sausage and rice mixture. I like to fill every crevice and tightly pack the mixture. I'll have the mixture rounded over the top of the pepper as well, don't be shy, fill those babies up! Once they are filled and neatly arranged in the baking dish, sprinkle the tops with breadcrumbs and then drizzle olive oil over the tops. The olive oil will help the tops to develop a crunchy, thin crust.
Place the baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, in the oven for 30 minutes.
Now, I have about 2 cups of leftover sausage and rice mixture. This will make a delicious snack or side dish in the form of Arancini. All we need now is that 1/4 cup of Italian breadcrumbs.
Take a small handful, about 2 T, of the rice mixture and roll into a tight ball. It will be about the size of a small traditional meatball. Once tightly made, roll the ball into the breadcrumbs. It will be a light coating and that is just fine! Line a cookie tray with foil or parchment, place the Arancini's on the pan and drizzle with olive oil. By the time you are finished preparing the Arancini's, the peppers should have been in the oven for about 15 minutes, this is perfect timing. Put the sheet of Arancini in the oven with the peppers and allow to bake for 15 minutes on one side.
Once the peppers have been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil from the pan and let bake for an additional 20 minutes. Once the Arancini have been baking on one side for 15 minutes, turn over and allow the other side to bake for 15 minutes, or until both sides have a slight crust.
If the peppers, after an additional 20 minutes do not have a slight crust formed on the rice mixture, allow it to bake at 5 minute intervals until it reaches the desired color. When the peppers and Arancini have reached the desired color and texture, remove from the oven, sprinkle with Kosher salt and allow to cool for a few minutes. Traditionally Arancini are served with marinara, but you could always just gobble them up as soon as they are ready to eat.... just like I did.....
Stuffed Peppers
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons chopped chives (from the garden)
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1.5 Cups of long-grain rice
1 Can of vegetable broth
2 Cups water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Pound sweet Italian sausage
6 medium red bell peppers (sliced in half lengthwise & seeded)
1/4 Cup of fresh basil (from the garden)
2 Cups tomato sauce (I prefer Pastene ground peeled tomatoes none of that Ragu bull****)
2 Tablespoons of Italian breadcrumbs
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 Cup of Italian Breadcrumbs for the Arancini.
Preheat the oven to 375. We're going to make the rice first, it will take the longest. It a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, coat the bottom with 2 T olive oil and add the chives and garlic. Saute these for about 5 minutes, then add the rice. Stir the rice until it is coated in oil and we are also toasted the rice a bit to get additional flavor. After a few minutes, add the vegetable broth and water (we want the liquid to rice ratio to be about 3:1). Turn up the heat to bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmering boil. That basically means to keep the water boiling but at a gentle, lower heat. Cover this pot and let it continue to boil for 20 minutes, at that point all of the water will be absorbed. And don't be tempted to stir it occassionally or check it every five minutes. Leave the lid on and leave the rice alone!
Let's get the sausage cooked! By the way, this meal can remain meat-free if you leave this component out. An alternative to sausage is firm tofu for you vegetarians or ground turkey meat for a lower fat option. You would prepare any of these options the same way. I use a non-stick skillet on medium heat with a Tablespoon of olive oil, put the meat in, and break it into bite-size pieces. If the sweet sausage is in casings, just remove them before putting the meat in the pan. It will take about 15 minutes. Once cooked and broken into bite-size pieces, put into a mixing bowl to cool.
Let's check on that rice. After about 18 minutes I peek under the lid of the pan and see that all of the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover the pan again so that no steam escapes and let sit for about 5 minutes. What this does is give the rice a fluffy consistency once the water is absorbed. After 5 minutes, take off the lid, use an ordinary fork, and "fork" the rice. This means to roughly rake the rice from the bottom as you would leaves on the ground. Put the fork in between the edge of the rice and the pan, with the tangs all the way to the bottom of the pan. Move the fork towards the center of the pan but as you get closer to the center slowly lift the fork upwards. Almost as if you are creating air in between the rice grains. Go gently and try not to break the rice grains.
Hopefully that is descriptive enough. Once the rice has been "forked", add it to the sausage mixture. At this point, also add the basil, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 Cups of tomato sauce. Mix well and set aside.
To the red peppers! Slice lengthwise and remove all seeds (the picture below still shows the peppers with the seeds but I wanted to show how I sliced them).
In a baking dish, pour 2 T of olive oil in the bottom and spread evenly. With a spoon, fill the halved peppers with the sausage and rice mixture. I like to fill every crevice and tightly pack the mixture. I'll have the mixture rounded over the top of the pepper as well, don't be shy, fill those babies up! Once they are filled and neatly arranged in the baking dish, sprinkle the tops with breadcrumbs and then drizzle olive oil over the tops. The olive oil will help the tops to develop a crunchy, thin crust.
Place the baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, in the oven for 30 minutes.
Now, I have about 2 cups of leftover sausage and rice mixture. This will make a delicious snack or side dish in the form of Arancini. All we need now is that 1/4 cup of Italian breadcrumbs.
Take a small handful, about 2 T, of the rice mixture and roll into a tight ball. It will be about the size of a small traditional meatball. Once tightly made, roll the ball into the breadcrumbs. It will be a light coating and that is just fine! Line a cookie tray with foil or parchment, place the Arancini's on the pan and drizzle with olive oil. By the time you are finished preparing the Arancini's, the peppers should have been in the oven for about 15 minutes, this is perfect timing. Put the sheet of Arancini in the oven with the peppers and allow to bake for 15 minutes on one side.
Once the peppers have been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil from the pan and let bake for an additional 20 minutes. Once the Arancini have been baking on one side for 15 minutes, turn over and allow the other side to bake for 15 minutes, or until both sides have a slight crust.
If the peppers, after an additional 20 minutes do not have a slight crust formed on the rice mixture, allow it to bake at 5 minute intervals until it reaches the desired color. When the peppers and Arancini have reached the desired color and texture, remove from the oven, sprinkle with Kosher salt and allow to cool for a few minutes. Traditionally Arancini are served with marinara, but you could always just gobble them up as soon as they are ready to eat.... just like I did.....
This sounds delicious! I think I’ll try it with some tomatoes, too.
ReplyDeleteOooh what a good idea! I bet it would also be delicious in onions!
ReplyDeleteIn onions? As in onions to replace the peppers??
ReplyDeleteOh yea. I would recommend vidalia (sweet) onions. Slice them lengthwise, remove the center, leave at least the 2 or 3 outermost layers, and add the rice mixture, then breadcrumbs, then olive oil. If you do this lemme know how it turns out :-)
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