In this version of stuffed peppers, spinach and Feta cheese are paired with light and fluffy couscous together with raisins, pine nuts, and a touch of fresh dill.
Stuffed Peppers with Couscous, Spinach, and Feta Cheese
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 6 Peppers
Ingredients:
- 6 medium red bell peppers (orange and yellow work well too)
- 1/2 cup olive oil, (divided)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup raisins (or currants)
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock, (divided)
- 1 cup Couscous
- 4 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large potato, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp. butter or butter substitute
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice the tops off the red bell peppers and remove seeds and white membrane. Be careful not to puncture the pepper when cleaning.
- In a large saute pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute the onions until just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thawed spinach. Saute until the garlic is fragrant and some of the moisture from the spinach evaporates.
- Add the pine nuts, raisins, dill, and saute about 2 – 3 minutes more. Add one cup of stock and allow the liquid to come to a boil. Add the couscous and remove from heat. Cover to allow the couscous to absorb the liquid.
- Stir in the crumbled Feta cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Fill the peppers with the stuffing mixture and replace caps. Place them in a shallow, oven safe casserole dish or roasting pan.
- Divide the butter into 6 small pats and place a pat of butter on top of each pepper cap. Top the butter with a heaping tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
- Place potato wedges in between the peppers to keep them upright while cooking. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the tops of the peppers and add remaining 1 cup of stock to the bottom of the pan.
- Bake the peppers uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until the peppers are cooked through and nicely tender. Monitor the level of liquid in the bottom of the pan while cooking and add more stock if needed.
- Allow the peppers to cool slightly in the pan before serving.
