Red Peppers Stuffed with Sausage & Corn Kernels
5 thin slices firm Delicious Orchards white bread, crusts removed
6 medium-large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 pounds Italian sausage (9 or 10 links), sweet, hot, or a combination, casings split and meat removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium sweet onions, chopped
2 to 2-1/2 cups corn kernels, cut from 3 to 5 ears
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or pinch of dried (optional)
2 cups of tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry but not toasted, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, trim the tops off the peppers; chop the flesh from the tops and set aside. If necessary, shave a thin slice of the bottoms of the peppers, so that they stand upright without wobbling. Trim away all seeds and ribs. Salt the boiling water; parboil the peppers, uncovered, until just crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain under cold water and invert the peppers on a plate to drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Place a flat lid or plate over the skillet and drain off all excess fat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the onions, and the reserved chopped pepper tops. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, about 8 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool briefly.
Raise the oven heat to 375°F. Coarsely crumble the bread into the sausage mixture in the skillet; add the corn, parsley (reserving a little) and thyme. Correct the seasonings.
Place a layer of tomato sauce in a shallow baking dish that will hold the peppers fairly snug. Spoon the sausage-corn mixture into the peppers, mounding them generously on top and standing each pepper in the baking dish. Top each pepper with a spoonful of cheese. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce around the peppers.
Bake the peppers until the cheese has browned nicely and the sauce is bubbly 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkling a little of the reserved parsley on each pepper, and spooning the tomato sauce around.
Delicious Orchards
RECIPE OF THE WEEK #128
Wednesday, June 5, 2002
5 thin slices firm Delicious Orchards white bread, crusts removed
6 medium-large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 pounds Italian sausage (9 or 10 links), sweet, hot, or a combination, casings split and meat removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium sweet onions, chopped
2 to 2-1/2 cups corn kernels, cut from 3 to 5 ears
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or pinch of dried (optional)
2 cups of tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry but not toasted, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, trim the tops off the peppers; chop the flesh from the tops and set aside. If necessary, shave a thin slice of the bottoms of the peppers, so that they stand upright without wobbling. Trim away all seeds and ribs. Salt the boiling water; parboil the peppers, uncovered, until just crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain under cold water and invert the peppers on a plate to drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Place a flat lid or plate over the skillet and drain off all excess fat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the onions, and the reserved chopped pepper tops. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, about 8 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool briefly.
Raise the oven heat to 375°F. Coarsely crumble the bread into the sausage mixture in the skillet; add the corn, parsley (reserving a little) and thyme. Correct the seasonings.
Place a layer of tomato sauce in a shallow baking dish that will hold the peppers fairly snug. Spoon the sausage-corn mixture into the peppers, mounding them generously on top and standing each pepper in the baking dish. Top each pepper with a spoonful of cheese. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce around the peppers.
Bake the peppers until the cheese has browned nicely and the sauce is bubbly 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkling a little of the reserved parsley on each pepper, and spooning the tomato sauce around.
Delicious Orchards
RECIPE OF THE WEEK #128
Wednesday, June 5, 2002
