I just can’t get enough of the Cubanelle peppers this time of year. And there’s something about the grill that just makes all vegetables and fruits shine. If you still haven’t fallen in love with the peppers – give this recipe a go. Or search up another variation of stuffed Cubanelles to find one that more closely aligns with your flavor palette. From beef stuff to sweet roasted, the endless varieties are not to be missed.
Ingredients
6 medium Cubanelle peppers
6 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup couscous (Israeli works well but any variety will do)
1 zucchini, cut into thin strips
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup feta, chopped or crumbled
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh torn basil
2 tbsp vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat grill then cut tops off peppers, about 1/2 inch. Remove and discard stem and seeds. Dice tops of peppers and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside bowl and cored peppers.
In a small saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tsp oil on medium-high. Add garlic and couscous and stir until garlic is light golden and fragrant. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and steam for 8 to 10 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed and couscous is al dente. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, grill peppers and zucchini: Grill cored peppers for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally until all sides are lightly charred. Remove peppers from grill and allow to cool at room temperature. Brush zucchini with 1/2 tsp oil and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until lightly charred and tender. Let zucchini cool slightly, dice and add to bowl with diced pepper tops.
Add couscous, beans, chickpeas, feta, tomatoes, basil, vinegar, remaining 4 tsp oil, black pepper and salt, if desired, to pepper-zucchini mixture. Mix well.
Stuff about 3/4 cup pepper-zucchini mixture into each grilled pepper; lightly pack filling throughout entire pepper until filling reaches the top. Wrap each pepper tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or a maximum of overnight. (Alternatively, carefully lay stuffed peppers in a shallow tray or dish, cover and refrigerate.)
Recipe posted in Clean Eating magazine online.