Recipe: Meatloaf-Filled Green Bell Peppers

MEATLOAF-FILLED GREEN BELL PEPPERS

6 green bell peppers (about 1/2 pound each)
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds lean ground chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup chopped scallion greens
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

In a kettle of boiling salted water blanch the bell peppers, covered partially, for 3 minutes and transfer them to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Cut 3/4 inch from the stem end of each bell pepper, reserving the bottoms, and chop fine the flesh from around the stems, discarding the stems.

In a bowl let the bread crumbs soak in the cream for 8 minutes, or until the cream is absorbed.

In a skillet cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is softened and let it cool.

Stir the onion mixture into the bread crumb mixture, stir in the chuck, the pork, the scallion greens, the parsley, the salt, the cloves, and black pepper to taste, and divide the mixture among the bell peppers.

Arrange the bell peppers in a shallow 15 1/2- by 10 1/2-baking pan, add 2 cups water to the pan.

Bake the peppers in the middle of a preheated 375 degree F oven for 1 hour, or until the meat is no longer pink.

Serves 6 as an entree
Source: Gourmet magazine, September 1990