Improv Cooking: Mediterranean Stuffed Green Peppers

The March challenge for Improv Cooking was "lamb and rice"... which was my theme!  (This year many of the recipe challenges were suggested by participants.)

This recipe is my take on an old family favorite.

Mediterranean Stuffed Green Peppers

6 large green peppers

1 to 1 1/4 pound ground lamb

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 Tbs zataar seasoning

1  16oz can diced tomatoes

1  8oz can tomato sauce

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 cups cooked rice (I like basmati)*

6 oz Velveeta cheese

Cup tops from peppers, clean out insides.  Chop enough of the tops to equal a 1/4 cup, set aside.  Cook the whole green peppers, uncovered in boiling water until just tender... approx 10 minutes.  Carefully remove from the boiling water, invert on dish towel to drain well.

In a skillet cook ground lamb, onion, and chopped peppers until the meat is browned and the peppers are tender.  Drain fat.  Add zataar, stir in well.  Add undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, and  Worcestershire sauce.  Stir well.

Fold in rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring up to a boil.  Add cheese, folding in gently to not break up rice.

When rice is melted in, remove from heat.

Set cooked peppers into a baking dish.  Stuff with the lamb mixture.

Since everything is fully cooked, you can serve immediately or you can put under the broiler to brown the top.

*For the rice I fix up one cup of uncooked rice (that makes about 3 cups cooked rice).  Sometimes you need to add a bit more rice to the recipe.  I suppose this has to do with how much liquid is in the tomatoes.

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