Sweet & Savoury Stuffed Pepper

It looks like Mother Nature may need a boost this year. First week of spring and the snow and cold still remain. As you can guess, around here there is no place better then the kitchen to invite and warm a long awaited guest. For whatever reason, be it the bright colours or the countless customizable options the sweet bell peppers stuffed with a mouth watering array of spices and filling grains was our choice for springs welcome wagon feast.

Stuffed peppers, traditionally, are green peppers stuffed with some mixture of rice and ground beef while being topped with some version of marinara sauce. While this is a full flavoured, filling meal idea the options are seemingly endless. If you just expand your mind from what a stuffed pepper really is; a pepper stuffed with some sort of grain or meat or other filling with a flavourful sauce cascading over top.

1 Red Pepper
¼ cup pot or pearl barley, cooked
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. each Basil and Oregano
½ Tbsp. Rosemary
200 grams Brie cheese (we used triple brie), separated into small chunks
¼ cup each sautéed onion and zucchini

1) Cut the top off of the red pepper and set aside
2) In a saucepan sauté ¼ onion and a ¼ of a zucchini.
3) Combine the olive oil, basil, oregano, and rosemary in a small container and set aside.
4) Incorporate all ingredients and fill the pepper.
5) Bake pepper in a 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

After several recipes it was the vegetarian option that stood out amongst the crowd. A bright, sweet red pepper stuffed with barley, olive oil and savoury spice mixture alongside the salty notes from some triple Brie cheese truly is a filling, balanced meal. While far from traditional this is just one option of many when deciding what to use when filling those peppers. Expand your mind; trust your tongue and you might amaze yourself at what you can create!