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Title: Stuffed Vegetables Worth Eating Post by: oldepharte on March 28, 2012, 01:56:27 pm So I was chatting with a friend in game the other week and the subject of stuffed peppers came up. As he was familiar with the traditional American method of rice and hamburger I mentioned a different preparation. Push came to shove and I agreed to post a functional recipe that was a bit of a change.
Starter Level - Goal: Good Looking and Yummy Main Vegetables: Large Tomatoes and/or Bell Peppers / Serrano Peppers Simple Stuffing: 1 cup finely grated / thin shredded cheese (Provolone, Cheddar, Asiago, italian/mexican/american mixes all work) 1 small package ricotta cheese 1/4 cup grated parmesan or parmesan / romano mix 6 slices bacon 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (fresh ground best) 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander (optional, barely!) 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese Fry bacon over medium high heat to medium well done, fat crunchy but meat not rubberized, drain on paper towel and crumble. Set aside 1 teaspoon for topping. Slice tops off tomatoes and remove inner pulp with a spoon. (discard or reuse or eat this as suits) Place tomatoes upside down to finish draining excess moisture. Break ricotta cheese into small clumps in mixing bowl with a fork. Stir in grated cheese and add spices, mix to an even consistency. Spoon stuffing into tomatoes and place on foil lined baking sheet, then top with the 2 tablespoons of cheese and reserved bacon. Bake in pre-heated 350F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, tops should be browned but not burnt. Intermediate Level - Goal: Making Them Ask For Take-Homes Main Vegetables: Smaller tomatoes and peppers come into play, forcing different tools for emptying them... a good paring knife is your friend here! Different vegetables also come into play. A hint about stuffed cucumbers: The flavor strengthens intolerably if not skinned! Complex stuffing: Spices: Virtually anything can go here. Some easy shots are tex-mex (cumin, chili powder, ginger plus others), italian, a bunch of asian styles. This arena is literally "please your palate" The quantities to use for each spice will vary but some quick looks around the web at recipes will provide guidance even for the totally inexperienced. Fillers: This is where the fun comes in! Adding cool stuff to the stuffing to surprise your mouth when you eat it. Your ingredients must not need further cooking, merely heating. You have two main tools here, flavor and texture. Flavors need to 'work' with the flavors that your spices are injecting. ( 'Work' does not necessarily mean complement: a little heat in a stuffing ingredient for a mild spice base 'works' by the contrast.) Textures need to be varied, little bit of tooth to a whole lot of tooth, some drier, some moister. Variety is your winner with texture. Some of the things I frequently use are: hash brown potatos (store or home prep, but always cooked crispy in that bacon grease!) thin ( 1/16") sliced bottoms from green onions wide ( 3/6") sliced tops from green onions diced seedless bell pepper thin sliced carrot chips (raw, fried, or both) (Diced small also works for extra crunch) thin sliced parsnip chips (raw, fried, or both)(Diced small also works for extra crunch) sauteed beef chunks mushrooms (OMG are there choices here!!! Fresh or canned work) diced tomato diced sauteed shrimp diced celery diced chorizo sausage diced chicken ... Advanced Level - Goal: They Posted a Picture of the Meal on Facebook and Had Their Mom / Wife Call for the recipe The fillings don't change much at all, instead they extend beyond the stuffed vegetable to the plate. Use a single large or multiple small stuffers as the stars of a salad that reprises the items in the stuffing. Play around here and counterpoint your ingredients: If you fried carrot chips perhaps a few long thin shavings appear in the salad. Same ingredients, presented with a different preparation. This also allows you to play more with the temperature regime of the meal. For instance if you used shrimp in the filling perhaps a couple of shrimp hot off the grill works. For a very simple dressing that complements the meal try 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 cup of greek yogurt and a dash of salt and pepper. You can also use (lightly) the spices you've used in the mix or their complements. Go ye forth and get jiggy widdit! Skeezy Ratty Troll (Not a Chef, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once!) |