Greek Peppers Recipes

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add fennel and onion; cook and stir until tender, 6-8 minutes. Add spinach and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Cool slightly., Cut and reserve tops from peppers; remove and discard seeds. Pour 1 cup crushed tomatoes into bottom of a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine lamb, barley, 1 cup feta cheese, olives and seasonings; add fennel mixture. Spoon mixture into peppers; place in slow cooker. Pour remaining crushed tomatoes over peppers; replace pepper tops. Cook, covered, on low 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours, until peppers are tender. Serve with additional feta and, if desired, chopped parsley.

GREEK PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut the two red bell peppers lengthwise into thirds, carefully removing seeds and membranes.
• Place on a baking sheet skin-side up and flatten out with the palm of your hand.
• Brush or drizzle with a bit of olive oil and roast at 500 degrees until skins become charred and slightly wrinkled.
• Upon removing from the oven, immediately place them into a sealed bowl or plastic bag.
• When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off with your fingers and discard the skins - don't rinse the peppers or you'll rinse away that delicate smoky flavor from the roasting.
• Arrange on a plate and chill for about 30 minutes.
• Combine cheeses, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide mixture into as many portions as you have roasted pepper sections and shape it into a log.
• Mold the pepper over the cheese log and form it into a jalapeno pepper shape, lay it in the center of a salad plate.
• At the thicker end, tuck in a stem of fresh basil.
• Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place green and red bell peppers in a bowl with enough warm water to cover, and soak 5 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork and onions in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pork is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in wine and tomato puree. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
• Transfer skillet mixture to a large bowl, and mix in feta cheese, cooked rice, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley. Stuff peppers with the mixture, and arrange in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil, and continue baking 10 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned. May be served hot or cold.

YEMISTA (GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS)

Steps:

• Neatly cut the tops off the peppers and set the tops aside. Remove the membrane and seeds from the peppers and discard.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the onion until it begins to colour. Stir in the rice and ground pork.
• Add the herbs, cinnamon, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and the tomatoes.
• Stir until the rice becomes transparent and the meat loses its redness.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Use the mixture to loosely fill the empty peppers.
• Arrange the filled peppers snugly in a casserole dish (wedging some potato slices between them, if necessary, to keep them upright.)
• Put the reserved pepper tops back on the peppers, like lids.
• Combine the lemon juice, water and remaining oil and pour into the dish around the peppers.
• Bake for about 30 minutes until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked and hot.

GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Stir the feta cheese, pimento peppers, Greek seasoning, black pepper, and olive oil together in a bowl; place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture on each of the 8 bell pepper segments. Wrap each segment with a slice of bacon; secure with toothpicks and arrange on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is brown and beginning to crisp, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

YEMISTA (GREEK STUFFED TOMATOES AND PEPPERS)

Steps:

• Cut off tops of tomatoes (retain tops) and carefully scoop out flesh (retain this as well).
• Cut off tops of peppers (retain tops) and remove seeds and membrane.
• Place tomatoes and peppers in a pan large enough to hold them comfortably and give each veg a tiny dash of sugar with the tips of your fingertips (I really think this is important!).
• Take tomato flesh and process it until pureed.
• Add olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mint, parsley, nuts, cheese, sultanas, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (or season to taste).
• Stuff the vegetables evenly with this mixture.
• Replace tops of tomatoes and peppers.
• Combine 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup olive oil with a scant tablespoonful of tomato paste and a little salt and pepper and pour this around the veg.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven (180C) for approx 1 3/4 hours (vegetables should pierce easily and be slightly blackened in parts).
• Turn off oven and leave in for another hour to'mellow' before serving.
• This is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.
• It is wonderful eaten along with little bites of feta cheese and a cool glass of white or rose.
• It will also have yummy juices begging to be mopped up with bits of crusty bread.
• In my version, I also take 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, cut them into big wedges, toss in a little olive oil with salt and pepper to taste, and'plant' in the spaces amidst the vegetables.
• That way you can have a couple of wedges of potato too.

GREEK-INSPIRED STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place 1/2 cup rice in a container and cover with water. Allow to soak for the 15 or 20 minutes, and drain well.
• Combine onion, garlic, rosemary, parsley, oregano, dill, coriander, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir to combine. Add ground lamb and drained rice. Using your hands, mix well until ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Slice bell peppers in half, top to bottom, and remove membranes and seeds. Evenly divide lamb mixture amongst each of the bell pepper halves. Set stuffed peppers in a shallow baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is cooked through, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the filling should read 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). Allow to cool slightly, and garnish with tzatziki (see note). Sprinkle feta cheese crumbles and chopped tomatoes evenly over the stuffed peppers before serving.