Stove-top Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Recipe by Chef Liz Crawshaw
Demonstrated at Decatur Farmers Market on June 10, 2017

Ingredients

Market Ingredients:

• 10 Peppers from Furrowed Earth @ $12
• Handful of Foraged Mushrooms from Furrowed Earth @ $3
• 3 Small Heirloom Tomatoes from Jody’s Farm @ $4
• 1 Medium Zucchini from Mealor Family Gardens @ $4/lb

Pantry Staples:

• 1 Shallot, finely chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
• 1 Small Can of Tomato Paste
• 1 Cup Quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained
• 1 Large Carton of Vegetable or Chicken Broth
• 1-2 TBSP safflower or olive oil
• 2 Tsp Cumin Powder
• 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

 Directions

1. Add quinoa and two cups vegetable broth to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy – about 20 minutes.
2. While quinoa is cooking, prep your vegetables: dice the tomatoes and zucchini into similar size cubes. Trim the foraged mushrooms and finely chop.
3. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and spices, and cook for a few minutes until the shallots have begun to soften and the spices have become aromatic. Then, add in the rest of the diced vegetables. Sauté for 5 minutes, adding a little broth in the last minute to deglaze the pan.
4. Combine the sautéed vegetables with the cooked quinoa in a medium sized bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside; this will be your stuffing mixture.
5. Take the whole peppers and sear on all sides in your preheated grill pan. This will give a nice char and help you to easily core out the seeds. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two.
6. Slice the tops off the peppers as close to the stem as possible. Carefully run a knife around the inside of the pepper to remove the seeds and white connective flesh. Stuff the cored out peppers with the quinoa/vegetable mixture, leaving half an inch of space at the top of the pepper.
7. In a large pot, add the tomato paste and remainder of the broth. Heat on low until the mixture comes to a simmer. Transfer the stuffed peppers to the pot, making sure they are standing upright. Add additional boiling water if the liquid does not reach high enough up the peppers (it should sit just below the top of the pepper). Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 20 minutes until peppers are tender.
8. Serve with sauce spooned over the peppers. Season with additional salt/pepper, if required. The peppers can also be topped with grated cheese.