Stuffed Red Bell Peppers With Rice, Pine Nuts and Currants

Choose peppers that can stand up easily, as they are baked upright. Garnish with lemon wedges. Published in the Jerusalem Post, Sept. 07.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 6-7

Ingredients

• 5  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3  onions, finely chopped
• 3⁄4 cup long-grain white rice
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts
• 2  tablespoons raisins
• 2  small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 -2  tablespoon of fresh mint or 2  teaspoons dried mint
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice
•  salt and pepper
• 2 3⁄4 cups vegetable broth
• 6 -7  small  red peppers (total weight about 1-1 1/3 kg.)

Directions

1. Heat 3 T olive oil in a saute pan, add onions and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add rice and pine nuts and stir 5 minutes over low heat. Add currants, tomatoes, mint, allspice, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes.
2. Add 1 1/4 cups broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning; rice will be only partially cooked.
4. Preheat oven to 175°C Cut a slice off stem end of peppers, leaving stem on. Reserve slice; remove core and seeds from inside pepper.
5. Spoon stuffing into peppers and cover with reserved slices.
6. Stand them in a baking dish in which they just fit.
7. Add 1 1/2 cups broth or hot water to dish.
8. Sprinkle peppers with 2T oil.
9. Cover and bake for 1 hour or until peppers are tender, basting occasionally and adding a little more water if needed.