Asian Peppers
Posted
Fri, 08/19/11
The other day I had a mad-craving for Stuffed Bell Peppers. However, in recent years I've grown tired of endless beef dishes. Veal is not an option, of course, as I never touch the stuff. I'd rather use fish, chicken or pork as a substitute for beef whenever possible.
My recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers is a variation of an original from my former mother-in-law (Italian by descent, now deceased). While delicious, the dish incorporates beef and tomato sauce, naturally. Therefore, in the midst of my stuffed pepper craving earlier this week, I decided to try yet another variation without all the saucy trimmings.
One of my favorite food pairings is chicken with teriyaki sauce, so I thought why not? Instead of fatty cooked beef stuffed into a bell pepper, why not cook chicken and teriyaki, mix with rice and re-stuff? The variation may not be to everyone's liking, but I much prefer it over the original concept.
Reminder: I'm a terrible food photographer, so please be patient!
Here's the recipe in all it's simplicity:
Asian Stuffed Peppers
4 bell peppers, cleaned with tops & seeds removed
Rinse chicken tenders under cold water and then slice into bite-sized pieces. Place in a plastic container, and then season with minced garlic and teriyaki sauce. Cover tightly. Shake to combine seasonings evenly. Refrigerate for several hours up to one day, shaking occasionally to remix flavorings.
Remove tops from the bell peppers using a sharp knife. Reserve tops. Clean peppers under cold water, removing seeds and white rinds. Allow to drain in a colander. Cook the white rice according to package directions. (Re: Uncle Ben's Boil-in-a-Bag).
Chop the bell pepper tops into small pieces; add to minced onion. In a large skillet, combine marinated chicken tenders with minced peppers and onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink. Add cooked white rice; mix well.
Spoon chicken/rice mixture into empty bell peppers until full. Level top with the back of a spoon. Place stuffed peppers into a large cooking pot. Add chicken broth and water until liquid level reaches halfway up pepper sides. Cover pot, leaving lid at a slight angle to allow steam-venting. Cook over medium heat for about one hour, or until peppers are tender but not too soft. Serve. Note: To reduce salt intake, use a lesser amount of teriyaki sauce during marinade. Alternate method: Substitute chicken tenders with one pound ground chicken or turkey.
The peppers were marvelous, needless to say. The only thing I might do differently is add less teriyaki marinade to the raw chicken tenders as the cooked product can be a tad over-salty.
My beloved pooch Rainee and demonic feline Kiki loved the chicken as well. I used to allow Rainee and Foofer portions of chicken teriyaki on their birthdays when we lived in Spokane. Rainee apparently never lost the memory of it, and now Kiki is a firm teriyaki-connoisseur.
Let me qualify, however, that Asian Stuffed Peppers are for people, not our furry friends except as an occasional treat (sans pepper bits and onions).
Tags: Entrees;
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