Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

Stuffed Bell Peppers are a remarkably easy, potentially healthy, and always tasty go-to for weeknight dinners. 

Make a cup of rice (whatever kind you like) separately in a rice cooker or pot and let it cool a little. 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, finely mince a clove or two of garlic, dice some onion (1/4-1/2 a white or yellow), and optionally dice jalapeño or serrano or two (removing the seeds and stem). Sauté the vegetables until soft, then add a can of drained and rinsed beans (black, pinto or kidney) and a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes (to raise the spice level use diced tomatoes mixed with hatch or green chiles). 

Season well with salt and pepper and give everything a good stir. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. 

Once bubbling, remove from heat and stir in rice. If the rice won’t fit in the pot, use a large mixing bowl and mix well. 

Cut at least 2 bell peppers roughly in half as shown in the picture (2 will not have stems). Remove the seeds and as much of the white interior as possible without piercing the peppers. Fill each pepper with the rice and bean mix. There should be enough of the mixture for at least 4 bell peppers. 

Place the peppers in one or more casserole dish. Add a 1/4 of water to the bottom of each dish. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with shredded cheese of choice (pepper Jack, cheddar, or a combination), and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. 

Remove the peppers from the oven and serve on top of a good salsa. The one pictured is an avocado salsa - I will hopefully remember to post a recipe for that as well. 

Tonkatsu with Broccoli Tempura

 Tonkatsu with Broccoli Tempura!

Tonkatsu - a Japanese-style, breaded, deep-fried, pork cutlet - is, for some reason, a Thompson household family staple. Mom's been making it since before I can remember, and I have no idea why, since I don't think she's ever been to Japan. Regardless, we love it. And I love Tonkatsu sauce - a thick and hearty vegetable-plumb sauce, more A-1 than teriyaki. I learned how to make my own version recently, and I'll have to share that recipe shortly.

I also made some Broccoli Tempura to go with the Tonkatsu. That's not something my mother traditionally did, but in retrospect, it seems like a no-brainer, since you already have the egg, flour and hot oil.

First I made the Tonkatsu by seasoning some nice 1 1/2" -thick pork chops with salt and pepper (and possibly garlic powder). Then I dredged them in flour.

Next I transferred them to a bowl of beaten egg. A trick to keep your hands from becoming caked with egg and flour is to use one hand for dry ingredients and one hand for wet (you'll learn). Drench the flour crusted chop in egg and let the excess egg drip off back into the bowl. 

Next dip the egg covered chop in a bowl of panko breadcrumbs. You want the chop completely covered. 

Finally lay the chop on a plate with some additional panko and repeat with the additional chops. Place the plate of chops in the fridge until ready to fry (coldness helps make it crispy). 

You should have already brought a large, deep cast iron pan or pot of vegetable or peanut oil up to medium heat (around 350). 

Fry the chops until golden on both sides and set on a wire rack to cool.

Combine about 1 cup of the flour with about 1 beaten egg and use that for the broccoli. A tip is to add a couple ice cubes to keep the mix extra cold. Coat the broccoli, and allow the excess to drip back into the mix bowl. Fry in the same oil as the pork chops. 

For the rice, though it might look like some very lightly fried rice, it's just white rice with some frozen mixed vegetables mixed in for added vitamins.  Shredded cabbage is a more traditional accompaniment, but I did not have any on hand. 

Enjoy!