Belle’s Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers

Name: Belle's Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Yield: Makes 5 peppers
Ingredients: 5 orange bell peppers; 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic; 1 cup long-grain rice; 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 2/3 cups vegetable broth; Spice: 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano; 1 cup diced green pepper, 1 cup diced tomato, 1/2 cup green onion; 1 cup black beans, 1 cup corn; Salt, pepper; cheese if you like

Belle toasts the dry rice in the pan for three minutes before any liquid goes in, so the filling stays fluffy instead of soggy.

Makes 5 peppers
Bake 30 min at 400°F (200°C)

A painted dish of orange bell peppers carved with jack-o'-lantern faces and stuffed with rice, beans and corn, beside a small carved pumpkin on a blue checked cloth.

Ingredients

5 orange bell peppers
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
1 cup long-grain rice
2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 2/3 cups vegetable broth
Spice: 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup diced green pepper, 1 cup diced tomato, 1/2 cup green onion
1 cup black beans, 1 cup corn
Salt, pepper; cheese if you like

You’ll wanta small sharp knife, a lidded pan and a baking dish.

Method

Carve: Carve a face in each pepper, cut off the top and scoop out the seeds. Stand them in a baking dish. Oven to 400°F.
Base: Oil, onion till soft, then garlic for 1-2 min.
Toast: Add the DRY rice and toast it 3 min. This keeps the filling from going soggy.
Simmer: Stir in the tomato paste for 1 min, then the broth, spice, green pepper, tomato, green onion, salt and pepper. Boil, cover, simmer 20 min.
Fill: Stir in the beans and corn. About 1 cup into each pepper; lids on.
Bake: 400°F for 30 min (cheese on at 15 min if using).
Tip: No candle inside. The pepper softens and slumps; a battery tea light is fine.

Inspired by @audreylillian.