Gemishta (Stuffed Peppers )
About the Recipe:
Gemista is a staple in many a Greek household, made with tomatoes and bell peppers stuffed
with rice and fresh herbs. The dish can be made with lean ground beef or lamb, or as a vegan
version which makes a savory, light supper with little fat. If you want to try it with meat, replace
the mushrooms and zucchini with 1 pound ground beef, lamb, or turkey.
Adapted from It’s All Greek to Me by Debbie Matenopoulos
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup long grain brown rice
½ cup plus
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for baking dish
4 large bell peppers of various colors (green, red, yellow, or orange)
2 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water
3/4 pound sliced cremini mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
½ pound zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced into
½ inch rounds
2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
¼ cup water, plus more as needed
PREPRATION:
Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds.
Bring 12 cups water or vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add the rice, stir it once, and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink. Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat. Cover the pot and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover the rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt.
Meanwhile, lightly oil a deep casserole dish large enough to hold all the peppers and tomatoes snugly so that they remain upright during baking.
Slice off and reserve the top stem ends of the bell peppers. Hollow out the peppers, removing the seeds and pith with a small spoon.
Slice off and reserve the top stem ends of the tomatoes. Gently squeeze the tomatoes to remove most of the seeds, then scoop the pulp into a small bowl, leaving a thin layer of tomato next to the skin. Stir the diluted tomato paste into the pulp and set aside.
Transfer the hollowed-out peppers and tomatoes to the prepared casserole dish. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the mushrooms and sauté until the edges start to brown and they release their liquid, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve.
Add additional 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, and saute the onions until soft and translucent.
Add the zucchini slices and sauté until wilted and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the mushrooms, the reserved tomato mixture and the cooked rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes just to let the flavors come together. The mixture should be moist but not soupy. If it is too loose, simmer it a little longer to evaporate a bit more of the liquid, being careful not to overcook the rice.
Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and mint. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Generously stuff the tomatoes and bell peppers with the rice mixture. Replace the pepper and tomato tops. The stuffing will peek out a bit.
Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and carefully pour the water into the bottom of the casserole.
Bake, adding a little more water if necessary, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the vegetables are tender, and the tops are browned. The tomatoes and pepper should be soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.
Serve immediately
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
1.5 hours
30 min
Serves:
Type:
Entree
6 Servings