Czech stuffed green peppers is a meal in itself. It has rice, beef and a handful of aromatic herbs. The tomato based sauce brings all the flavors together. Add some chili for some spice or even some cheese to make each bite a delightful treat.

 

Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 green bell peppers

1 onion, chopped

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup cooked rice

1 egg

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes

3 whole peppercorns

3 whole allspice berries (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup sour cream

 

Preheat the oven at 350F and slightly grease a large roasting pan with oil. Slice off the tops of the bell peppers and then scoop out the seeds and membranes with a spoon; discard.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes or until it becomes translucent. Place the cooked onions in a large bowl. Add the ground beef, cooked rice and eggs. Mix until well combined. Season it with parsley, salt and pepper. Get a piece of bell pepper and fill it with the rice and beef mixture. Place it on the greased pan. Repeat this for the remaining ingredients.

To prepare the sauce, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 3-5 minutes or until they are soft. Add the tomatoes, peppercorns, allspice berries, ground allspice, oregano, marjoram, salt and pepper. Simmer it for fifteen minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft. Pour the sauce over the peppers in the roasting pan. Cover and bake them for an hour and a half. Remove the peppers and place them on a platter or individual plates.

Place the sauce and the drippings from the pan in a blender or food processor. Blend it for a minute or until it becomes smooth.  Return it to the saucepan and heat it over medium heat for two minutes or until heated through. Stir in the sour cream. Pour the sauce over the peppers or serve it on the side.

 

Image from jronaldlee