Stuffed Peppers

My mother made this a lot when I was a kid. She used cubanelle peppers since we didn’t have bell pepers in the island.

Bell peppers are very expensive now so I imagine this is a dinner party kind of dish. It used to be a staple.

Stuffed Peppers, ajíes rellenos

Ingredients

  • 6 large green, red or yellow bell peppers
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 tbsp chopped onion
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp chopped cilantro
  • 3 medium pimento-stuffed olives, chopped
  • 3 capers, chopped
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Cut top of peppers. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers

 

Step 2

Cook peppers in enough boiling water to cover 5 minutes; drain

 

Step 3

Cook and stir ground beef, onion, garlic, olives, cilantro and capers in a heavy skillet until beef is light brown; drain

 

Step 4

Stir in rice, salt and 1 cup tomato sauce; heat thoroughly.

 

Step 5

Stuff each pepper with the beef mixture; stand upright in un-greased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Pour remaining sauce over peppers.

 

Step 6

Cover dish and bake in 350°F. oven 45 minutes. Uncover; Sprinkle with cheese, bake 15 minutes longer.

Serve