Last week I was quite focused on the wave of fresh peppers finding their way from the local fields to the farmers’ markets, inevitably making their way into my home kitchen.
Well, this week I continued to indulge by sourcing a bag full of assorted peppers that I wasn’t able to get to during the prior week. After working through blistered fresh poblano stuffed omelets, spicy jalapeño and Serrano-infused salsas and blistered Anaheim chilies stuffed with chèvre and grilled corn last week, this week I was more focused on the sweeter peppers.
One annual favorite of mine is the pimento chili pepper.
One of the sweetest peppers you will encounter, pimentos deliver a pleasing fruity flavor that’s more dynamic than the more common red bell pepper. Recognized by their deep red color and squat physique, pimento chili peppers are botanically classified as Capsicum annuum. They’re a member of the nightshade family closely related to tomatoes, eggplant and tomatoes.
A very mild pepper, they have one of the lowest Scoville ratings (the scale that measures the unit of spiciness) of any chili pepper.
In addition to being mildly spicy and very sweet, pimento chili peppers have thick flesh walls, which is another major benefit of utilizing them in the kitchen. The meatiest pepper I work with all year, the flesh can be enjoyed in both raw and cooked preparations.
Whether sliced and added to a salad, incorporated into pasta dishes, or roasted and puréed to make a roasted red pepper sauce, pimento peppers add a wonderful layer of flavor to your dishes.
This week I prepared some beef stuffed pimento peppers. I often use poblano chilies for this style of dish, but found the thick sweet red pimento peppers are a nice change of flavor.
Ground Beef Stuffed Pimento Peppers
8 Pimento Peppers.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1 medium onion, diced.
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced.
2 celery stalks, diced.
1 pound ground beef.
1/4 cup chili powder.
1 tablespoon granulated garlic (or use a few cloves of fresh, minced garlic).
1 tablespoon dried oregano.
1 teaspoon ground cumin.
1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
1 1/2 cups cooked rice.
Blister your pimento peppers and set aside. Once they’re cool enough to handle, remove the outer skin and discard the very top with the connected stem. Clean out any remaining seeds and set aside.
In a sauté pan over high heat, add olive oil and sauté onion, carrot and celery for a few minutes. Then push the mixture to the top of the pan and add ground beef to the empty space, sautéing the meat and breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
As the meat begins to brown, mix the onion, carrot and celery with the meat mixture and continue to sauté. Mix in chili powder, garlic, ground cumin, oregano and seasoned salt.
Add about a half cup of water, bring to a low simmer, and cook covered for about 15 minutes. Mix the cooked rice in with the beef, then stuff each pepper with the mixture. Do not pack tightly; just loosen to the top.
If desired, you can also top with cheese, or add a little cheese to the mixture for a more melting quality.
Place stuffed peppers in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until everything is warm. For a crispier top, place under the broiler for a final few minutes.
Yield: Makes 8 stuffed peppers, about 4 servings.
