Chorizo Mushroom Stuffed Red Pepper

Vegetarian

Bell Peppers when fully ripened turn a deep, glossy red and are sweeter than their green cousins. Bell peppers are also the only peppers that produce no capsaicin, the chemical that causes irritation [heat] when in contact with our taste buds. A traditional recipe in Spain using piquillo pepper which are smaller than bell but of the same variation are stuffed with a variety of ingredients including meat, seafood, or cheese, and served as tapas; in Mexico called Chile rellenó, literally "stuffed pepper," or in middle eastern, Turkey, Greek cuisine called Dolma, a tradition of stuffed vegetables.

In this recipe the enhanced sweetness of red bell peppers adds an unexpected flavor note to the heat of the chorizo and the savory middle eastern blend of quinoa, onion, garlic and olive.

Pair these stuffed peppers with the rich, umami taste of this easy vegan Yorkshire Pudding and you experience the meeting of 2 worlds: the Old British Empire and the even older Ottoman Empire. That encounter produced a rich blended cuisine of northern European and middle eastern fare stirred, mixed and blended for four centuries until the end of the nineteenth century.

 photo: The Green Cutting Board Press, all rights reserved

         

             photo:wikipedia.org/

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup diced sweet onion
• 1 cup diced button mushroom
• 1 clove garlic diced
• 1/3 cup diced green olives
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas [garbanzo beans]
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup quinoa 
• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons vegetarian chorizo
• 3 ounces queso fresco
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon no beef bullion base
• 1 teaspoon cumin

                                                                                                                                                                           

Method:  

1. Set a soup pot of water to boil.
2. Cut the top of red peppers and remove the seed and veins. Place the peppers bottom down in the hot eater with their lids, cover and cook 10 minutes
3. Brown tablespoon Earth Balance in a medium hot pan. Add first 4 ingredients and sauté 2 minutes
4. Add water, chickpeas, quinoa, water and bouillon paste, cumin. Cover and cook medium for 10 minutes or until water is nearly absorbed.
5. Remove peppers from water, drain and allow to cool
6. Preheat oven to 365℉
7. Fill the peppers with chorizo mushroom stuffing. Top with queso fresco and pepper lids. Place in an oven ready pan.
8. Continue baking for 30 minutes

Serves 2