Spicy Peppers

One national dish in Peru is a very spicy version of stuffed peppers - nothing like the Greek ones I have always loved, herby with rice, but meat filled and hot, hot, hot to taste.

I adapted this idea for a family meal which we will repeat - not so much chilli in it as you will find in Peru, but pleasantly filling, economical and, of course, very easy to do.

Spicy Peppers

for 4 people but easy to adapt for 2 or increase

4 large red peppers
6 oz minced beef
1 courgette
2/3oz  mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 chilli (or as many as you like)
A tin of tomatoes
Grated cheese, about 4 oz - any kind but I think a fairly mild one is best with these flavours


Oven at No 6/200

1. Halve the peppers and take out the seeds and as much of the white as you can.
2. Place in a baking dish, sprinkle a little olive oil over them and some S& P and put into the oven.
3. Heat a frying pan and, using as little oil as you can, brown and break up the mince. Then add the garlic, S&P and the chopped veg including at least half a chilli.
4. Let this cook for a few minutes till soft and the meat is nicely brown - then add tomatoes, bring up to a simmer and leave for 20 minutes or so. Taste and add more seasoning and more chilli as you want.
5. Check your peppers are softening and once they are beginning to collapse,take out ready for your mixture.
6. Then fill the peppers. Any extra mixture can just be spread around in the dish.
7. Add a layer of grated cheese to each pepper half (and any left over on the extra mixture).
8. Put into the oven, turned down to No4/150 and let them cook until the cheese is melted and golden.
9. If you were Peruvian you would serve these with lots of potatoes but we ate them with Rice and Peas, just boiled rice with frozen peas added to the water for the last few minutes of cooking time.