Yellow Peppers stuffed with quinoa, corn, and feta cheese
by:
Stuffed peppers may sound like winter fare, but its summer when peppers and corn are at their peak, and with this light, pretty filling, these peppers are absolutely appropriate for hot weather. Seasoned with cilantro, chiles, and cumin, and studded with corn and spinach, the quinoa is so compellingly good that you might just want to dive in and forget the peppers altogether. The peppers do, however, frame the quinoa in such a way as to give it the focus a main dish needs, and they look very pretty sitting on their bed of red onions. Omit the feta and these peppers are vegan. I like these peppers with black beans or a black bean soup and maybe some chard, even though theres spinach in the filling. For dessert, Id go for a soothing cinnamon ice milk with nut cookies or a plate of sliced melons. A New World Riesling, such as Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling, would be the wine to quaff with this meal.
ingredients
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serves: 4
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup quinoa (rinsed well several times)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch of scallions (including 2 inches of the greens, thinly sliced into rounds)
2 jalapeno chiles (finely diced, seeded if desired)
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups (more or less) fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 3 ears corn)
1 bunch of spinach (leaves only, or 1/2 pound spinach leaves)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 pound feta cheese, cut into small cubes
2 large red onions, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup white wine (can be Riesling)
4 yellow and/or orange bell peppers
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount per Serving
Calories: 514
- Total Fat: 20.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 25.3 mg
- Sodium: 400.5 mg
- Total Carbs: 67 g
- Dietary Fiber: 9.9 g
- Sugars: 7.3 g
- Protein: 17.7 g
preparation
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, then the quinoa. Give it a stir, then cover and simmer over low heat until the grains are tender and reveal their spiraled germ, about 15 minutes.
2. Warm half the oil in a wide skillet. Add the scallions and chiles, cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, corn, and spinach, along with 2 tablespoons water. When the spinach is wilted, add the cilantro, quinoa, and feta. Toss everything together, taste for salt, and season with pepper.
3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wide skillet. When hot, add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until they start to color around the edges, after several minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, giving the onions a stir as you do so. Season with salt and pepper and distribute in a baking dish (or two) large enough to hold the peppers.
4. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise without removing the tops or stems, then cut out the membranes and seeds. Simmer them in salted water until tender to the touch of a knife but not overly soft, 4 to 5 minutes, and remove. Fill them with the quinoa and set them in the baking dish(es).
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the peppers and bake the peppers until heated through, 20 to 30 minutes, then switch the heat to broil and brown the tops. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
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comments
Mommy_loves_to_cook
July 25, 2011