Sarasota's Chorizo and Black Bean Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers

I love these on the grill, but if the weather is not cooperating, the oven will work just fine. A spicy, cheesy stuffing with fresh vegetables make this a wonderful side dish. Cut in half, stuffed high and baked or grilled until golden brown and the peppers get tender. Serve these with some grilled chicken and fresh fruit, or as a main course with a side of rice and a salad make for great dinners.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-10
• Yields: 8-10 Pepper Halves

Ingredients

• 4  large cubanelle peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeds and ribs removed, I like to leave the stem in tact (Banana or Anaheims will work fine, depending on the size of the peppers, you may need 5 peppers)
• 3  chorizo sausage, links (soft chorizo, Mexican not the Spanish, hard chorizo)
• 1  jalapeno, diced fine (I leave some of the seeds and ribs in for a little spice)
• 1  cup onion, diced fine
• 1  celery rib, diced fine
• 3  large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1  cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 1  large egg
• 2  slices  bread
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1  tablespoon fresh parsley, fine chopped
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 3⁄4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

• Topping

• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1⁄2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Sausage -- Remove the sausage from the casing by cutting in the middle and then just squeeze out the sausage. Simply saute in a small skillet on medium heat until golden brown. It will take about 5-8 minutes. Remove the sausage to a small plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
2. Vegetables -- In the same pan with a little of the drippings from the chorizo (just a teaspoon is all you need), saute the garlic, onion, jalapeno, and celery until tender, then add in the black beans and tomato and cook another minute or two. Transfer the mixture to a medium size bowl.
3. Filling -- To the bowl with the vegetables, add in the chorizo, cheeses (both parm and mozzarella), egg, cilantro, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Soak the 2 bread slices in milk for just 10 seconds and then squeeze out the liquid. Just pull apart and break up the fresh bread to add to your filling. Mix everything together.
5. Peppers -- Stuff the pepper halves with the filling and top with the parmesan and mozzarella.
6. Bake -- I prefer to grill (they take about 20 minutes on a medium heat), or bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, foil, or just sprayed with non-stick spray at 375 degrees until the peppers get soft (about 30 minutes).
7. Serve -- As I said, serve as a main dish with some rice and a tossed salad or as a side to some grilled chicken and fresh fruit. They are just great! ENJOY.