Tasty turkey stuffed Romano peppers

This recipe, which came from my fevered imagination whilst I was craving stuffed peppers one day, succeeded in surprising even myself.  Oh yes, in a positive way, of course!  You wouldn't be seeing it if the reverse was true as I very much keep my failures to myself.  Well, apart from sharing the very worst of them on my Facebook page, where it's worth it for the laugh.

Anyway, these 'ere stuffed red pointy peppers are just totally lush.  The tasty turkey mince filling (you could use pork mince, if turkey isn't your thing) is flavoured with Italian style influences - tomato and sun dried tomato pesto predominate - yet they have a Mexican touch with the spicy Mexicana cheese that tops each pepper.  The gorgeously soft, sweet, fruity flavour of the peppers themselves just brings everything together in a deliciously amalgamated whole.

I recommend serving the peppers either with something creamily rich like a mushroom risotto (which is my choice), or a fresh crunchy mixed salad with a creamy dressing.  I think either would work as well as the other.

Super-simple to make, the bit that takes the longest time is the making of the filling.  However if you're going to be pushed for time then that can easily be made ahead and even frozen (but defrost before use), thus making the preparation a simple matter of filling the peppers and putting them in the oven.  From getting out the ingredients to sitting down to eat took around 90 minutes, but then I'm incredibly slow.  However, it gives you an idea of the time required.

Go!  Fry!  Stuff!  Bake!  Enjoy!  (A glass of wine wouldn't go amiss, either).

TASTY TURKEY STUFFED ROMANO PEPPERS   (serves 2)

Ingredients :

2 long red pointed Romano peppers, cut into two lengthways and de-seeded
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 red onion, diced finely
1 garlic clove, diced finely
sea salt & ground black pepper, to taste
300g minced lean turkey
1 vine ripened medium tomato, diced
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tsp tomato puree
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
half a tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tbsp sun dried tomato pesto
1 tsp reduced salt Knorr chicken stock powder
100ml warm water
1 tbsp torn fresh basil leaves
60g sliced Mexicana cheese, or grated mature cheddar.

Method :

Pre-heat your oven to 180degC/350degF/Gas 4.

Before beginning to cook the filling, deal with the two peppers and cut them in half lengthways, remove the pith and seeds but leave the stem attached.  Place them into a suitably sized baking dish.

Heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan and add the onion & garlic.  Fry until the onion is softened and beginning to take on colour.  Season with a pinch of sea salt and a couple of pinches of black pepper.

Push the onion & garlic across to one side of the pan and add the turkey mince.  Break up the mince and fry until there is no pink colour left.  Mix the onions & garlic in and continue to fry.

Add the diced and quartered tomatoes, frying until the pieces have softened and are beginning to dissolve into the mix.  Add the tomato puree, tomato ketchup, dried oregano, chopped parsley, pesto, chicken stock powder and water.  Stir gently to combine and cook on until everything is mixed well together and the liquid has reduced significantly.  You are after a fairly dry mix, so that the mince doesn't just flow out of the peppers!  Once you are happy with the consistency, add the torn basil leaves and stir through.  Taste for seasoning and adjust both salt & pepper to taste.

Divide the mince mixture between the four pepper halves and either place the Mexicana cheese slices over the mince, or sprinkle the cheddar over the top of each pepper.

Place the baking dish into the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Serve with some wild mushroom risotto, or alternatively a fresh mixed salad.

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