Stuffed Bell Peppers With Lentils And Goats Cheese Recipes

LENTIL STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Zest enough of the lemon to measure 1 teaspoon; cut the lemon in half and reserve.
• Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the lemon zest, garlic, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring to combine, for a little bit for the garlic to toast. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated and slightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is fluffy and all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside, covered, until ready to use.
• Slice the top 1/2 inch off of the bell peppers and hollow them out by removing the ribs and seeds. Place them standing cut-side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (Discard the tops or save for another use.)
• Add the lentils, tomatoes, parsley, rice, 1 cup of the feta, the juice of one of the lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste in large bowl. Toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning.
• Scoop the rice and lentil mixture into the peppers. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup feta over the top. Sprinkle with some more black pepper. Bake until the feta is starting to brown and the peppers have softened, 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle with a little more oil, sprinkle with flaky salt and top with a squeeze of the remaining lemon half. Serve immediately.

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED BABY PEPPERS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the peppers with the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and arrange them cut-side down. Broil until beginning to brown and soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, mascarpone, orange zest, lemon zest and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well with a rubber spatula. Place the cheese mixture in a piping bag with a decorative tip. Fill each pepper evenly with the cheese mixture, being careful not to overfill. Sprinkle with the chives. Store in the refrigerator if not serving immediately.

MINI BELL PEPPERS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place peppers on the baking sheet and roast 8 to10 minutes (small peppers - less than 2 inches long - will cook faster), turning them over halfway through. The peppers should be soft but not charred, except perhaps in a few spots. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If there are some larger peppers in the bag and they haven't softened in 10 minutes, return to oven for another 5.
• While peppers are cooling, make filling. Combine goat cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until mix is very smooth, at least one minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and process for another minute. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch star tip.
• When peppers have cooled, slice off ends just below the shoulders. Carefully remove any seeds and membranes. The peppers should be intact, but sometimes, they split down one side. Place any that have not split upright in a small glass or cup to facilitate filling, and pipe in goat cheese mix. Lay those that have split on a plate, pipe on the filling and close the pepper around the filling. Arrange stuffed peppers on a plate or platter. Serve at once, or chill until 30 minutes before serving. Bring to room temperature so cheese is soft and creamy.

VEGAN LENTIL-STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and broth and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, vinegar, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lentils and spinach.
• Place bell peppers in a baking dish and divide filling between both peppers. Cover dish with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or until peppers reach desired softness.

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS WITH LENTILS AND GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the lentils in boiling water for 12 minutes until tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile, halve the pepper length wise and remove the core and seeds. Grill the pepper halves for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skin is browned and the flesh softened.
• Finely chop the onions, garlic and celery. Add olive oil in to the saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic and celery for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked lentils. Add goat's cheese stir until melted.
• Spoon the filling evenly in to the pepper halves. Grill under moderate heat for 2 minutes until the filling is golden.
• Garnish with basil sprigs and serve hot, with a tomato and onion salad.