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Stuffed Green Peppers In Tomato Sauce
(Ardei Umplut cu Orez)
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| What You Need: |
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6 large green peppers (about ¼ pound each) stemmed, seeded and deribbed
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup long-grain unconverted white rice
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely cut fresh fennel leaves, or substitute ½ teaspoon powdered fennel
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup chicken stock, fresh or canned
4 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (see bigos)
6 tablespoons sour cream
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Preheat the oven to 350. Drop the peppers into a pot with enough boiling water to cover them completely and boil briskly for 2 or 3 minutes.
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2. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and set aside for 5 minutes. Then, with tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the peppers from the water and invert them on paper towels to drain.
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3. Bring 2 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil in a saucepan and, stirring constantly, pour in the rice. Boil briskly, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Then drain the rice in a sieve or colander, run cold water over it, and set it aside.
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4. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add 1 cup of the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and translucent but not brown.
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5. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the rice, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the fennel, 1 teaspoon of the salt and a few grindings of pepper.
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6. When all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, cool to room temperature, then stir in the egg. Set aside.
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7. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat in a heavy 2- to 3-quart casserole large enough to hold the peppers upright side by side.
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8. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of onions and fry for 2 or 3 minutes, until they are soft but not brown. Then add the flour and mix together thoroughly.
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9. Pour in the stock and, stirring constantly with a whisk or spoon, cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil.
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10. Reduce the heat to low, simmer for about 3 minutes, and stir in the tomatoes and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Remove from the heat.
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11. Spoon the rice mixture into the peppers, dividing it evenly among them and tamping it down with the back of a spoon.
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12. Top each pepper with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and sprinkle the cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley.
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13. Arrange the peppers upright in the casserole, cover tightly, and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and show no resistance when their skins are pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife. Serve at once, directly from the casserole.
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