Stuffed Yellow Peppers With Israeli Couscous And Pesto Recipes

STUFFED YELLOW PEPPERS WITH ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND PESTO

Steps:

• Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous. Stir until the couscous begins to color and smell toasty. Add 2 cups water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the couscous is tender. Drain.
• Turn on a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the blender jar or food processor bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the basil leaves and salt to taste. Turn on the machine, and add the remaining olive oil. Process until smooth. Add the cheese, and blend until incorporated.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a lidded casserole large enough to accommodate all of the peppers. Combine the couscous and pesto. Stir together. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Fill the halved peppers with this mixture, and arrange in the casserole. Pour the tomato sauce or purée into the dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes to an hour until the peppers are soft but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or at room temperature, with some of the tomato sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with basil leaves.

TURKEY AND COUSCOUS-STUFFED PEPPERS WITH FETA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add turkey; saute until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Add couscous flavor packet and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Add couscous; stir and cover. Reduce heat and simmer until couscous is tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Mix tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce together in a bowl. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green bell peppers, red bell peppers, and yellow bell peppers. Cook uncovered until slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain; shake to dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside peppers.
• Place a small amount of feta cheese in the bottom of each bell pepper. Fill each pepper halfway with the turkey-couscous mixture; add more feta and fill to the top with more couscous. Cover top with more feta; spoon sauce on top. Place peppers in an oven-proof baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are browned, about 20 minutes.

PEARLED COUSCOUS STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss peppers with 2 tablespoons olive oil, a few pinches of salt, and black pepper. Roast, cut sides up, for 15-20 minutes, until softened.
• While peppers are roasting, prepare the couscous. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pot until shimmering. Add couscous, and cook, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes, until pearls begin to toast. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until water is absorbed and couscous is tender. (Alternately, follow the cooking directions as provided for the brand of couscous you buy.)
• While couscous is simmering, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallots, and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add baby spinach and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir until spinach is wilted and tender, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir cooked couscous into spinach mixture, followed by 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano. Gently fold in cannellini beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Drain any accumulated juices from the roasted peppers and fill each half with couscous mixture, mounding slightly, and pressing gently to pack. Sprinkle peppers with remaining Parmigiano Reggiano, and return to the oven to bake until cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.
• Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Season vinaigrette to taste with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over peppers and serve.

STUFFED YELLOW PEPPERS WITH ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND PESTO

Steps:

• Heat 1T. of OO over med-high heat in medium saucepan. Add couscous and stir until it begins to color and smell toasty. Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 min or until couscous is tender. Drain. Turn on blender or food processor fitted with steel blade. Drop in garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add basil leaves and salt to taste. Turn on machine and add remaining OO. Process until smooth. Add the cheese and blend until incorporated. Preheat oven to 350. Oil a lidded casserole large enough to hold all peppers. Combine couscous and pesto and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding S&P to taste. Fill peppers with the mixture and arrange in the casserole. Pour sauce into the dish. Cover and bake 45 to 60 min until peppers are soft but still hold their shape. Remove and serve with some tomato sauce spooned over top. Garnish with basil leaves.

STUFFED YELLOW PEPPERS WITH ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND PESTO

Steps:

• 1. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous. Stir until the couscous begins to color and smell toasty. Add 2 cups water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the couscous is tender. Drain. 2. Turn on a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the blender jar or food processor bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the basil leaves and salt to taste. Turn on the machine, and add the remaining olive oil. Process until smooth. Add the cheese, and blend until incorporated. 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a lidded casserole large enough to accommodate all of the peppers. Combine the couscous and pesto. Stir together. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Fill the halved peppers with this mixture, and arrange in the casserole. Pour the tomato sauce or purée into the dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes to an hour until the peppers are soft but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or at room temperature, with some of the tomato sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with basil leaves. Advance preparation: The cooked couscous will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. The peppers can be made a day ahead and reheated or served at room temperature. Nutritional information per serving: 281 calories; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 36 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 80 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 8 grams protein Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."