When our friend Mary gifted us two baby bell peppers and an ancho chile from her garden, we felt inspired to make stuffed tomatoes and peppers, along with a stuffed purple topped turnip (mainly to keep the vegetables snug in our 6 quart pot). We followed this recipe: https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/middle-eastern-stuffed-vegetables-4-ways/
Our modifications: first, we identified the vegetables to be stuffed, and then we placed them (uncut) in a pot to make sure they would fit snugly. Second, based on our quantity of vegetables, we halved the filling. Third, based on our pantry, for the minced herbs in the filling we used a combo of: 2 Tbsp each parsley and spearmint, and dill; 1 scallion; and 1 large shallot. Fourth, we added 1 ½ tsp baharat (instead of 1 tsp, which would have been half) and ¼ cup pigeon peas (toor dal), along with ½ cup basmati rice and ½ lb minced beef. (We still had about 1/3 of the filling leftover, so we’ll probably use that for two additional large bell peppers tomorrow.) Fifth, instead of adding a diced tomato to the filling, we used the chopped innards from the four cored tomatoes. Finally, for the simmering broth, we used chicken broth instead of water. After pouring the broth over the stuffed vegetables, we brought to a boil, reduced to a gentle simmer, and then covered and simmered for 45 mins (not the full hour). (Sept. 2020)
Note: Unlike other dried legumes, pigeon peas do not need to be cooked before being added to the filling.
Note 2: To the extent possible, try to select vegetable vessels that are relatively uniform in height. Otherwise, the stuffing in taller vegetables may be too high above the broth, resulting in uneven cooking. (Feb. 2021)
Cooking Adventures 