Savory Stuffed Bell Peppers

The meat filling is very flavorful, with ketchup giving it sweetness and complexity. Instead of peppers, you can make porcupine meatballs or stuffed tomatoes.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 12 stuffed pepper halves

Ingredients

• 6  green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 3  lbs ground beef (not lean)
• 1⁄2 cup long grain white rice
• 1  medium onion, chopped finely
• 1  celery rib, chopped finely (with leaves, if any)
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 3  tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne (or more)
• 1  cup ketchup
• 2  cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Pour boiling water over rice and soak the rice for 30 minutes (or longer).
2. Mix all ingredients from beef to cayenne, plus 1/2 cup ketchup.
3. Stuff the pepper halves with the mixture.
4. Put the stuffed peppers into an oven-safe deep pan with a tight-fitting lid. Pour chicken broth, remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, and water over the peppers. You should attempt to cover as much of the peppers as possible, but if you cannot cover them completely, it is OK - the tops of the peppers will steam.
5. Cover and cook in the oven on 450 F until liquid boils. Then reduce heat to 325 F and cook 1.5 hours, or until the exposed rice on the top of the peppers is cooked. (You can also make it on the stove top, by first heating it till water boils and then reducing heat to medium, but you have to be careful not to burn the bottoms of the peppers.).