Another dish from Locke Lamora’s Welcoming Meal, these stuffed peppers cook just long enough to still have crunch but also some give. The filling, though, is what really makes the dish. Grainy with a bit of give, it almost resembles a somewhat dry couscous in texture. The flavors of the almond and spinach surprised me with how well they combine, and the pine nuts give it a little nudge towards complexity. The pepper serves mostly as a vessel for this amazing stuffing, but oven roasting softens it a bit, and a bite of pepper along with stuffing will not disappoint.
The stuffing recipe also lends itself well to an alternative pesto. Simply add another cup or so of spinach, and enough olive oil to give the whole mixture a smooth, spreadable consistency. Or, for a quirkier hummus, add a can of chickpeas to the mix, and puree.
Really, the options are as limitless as your imagination.
Peppers with Almond-Spinach Filling Recipe
Prep: 15 minutes Baking: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 stuffed peppers
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 cups blanched almonds
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 4 smallish red bell peppers
Yum! I want to try a variation with smaller, slightly spicy peppers.