BBQ stuffed peppers

BBQ season is here! There's no denying that a BBQ is all about the meat (even coming from someone who was veggie for 7 years!), but if there is some greenery involved why not get that on the BBQ too!? These stuffed peppers are really versatile, as you can pretty much stuff them with anything you have lying around! Here I've used onion, garlic, rice, chorizo, spices and cheese, but as long as there's some sort of pulse and cheese involved the rest is up to your imagination! Why not try cous cous instead of rice, with spices, raisins and feta? Or minced meat chilli con carne style? Pesto and sundried tomatoes? Garlic and mushrooms? Whatever you fancy! Here's the recipe for my cheesy chorizo version to get you started...

Ingredients 

(Serves 4) 

4 bell peppers 

400g long grain rice

150g chorizo sausage

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp dried oregano 

150g mature cheddar

Pinch salt and pepper 

Method

1. Put the rice in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and allow to simmer until just cooked, approx 20 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, remove the skin from the chorizo sausage, slice it in half lengthways then finely slice.

3. Finely chop the onion and garlic.

4. Fry the onion over a medium heat until soft and slightly golden.

5. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes until the oils have been released and the onion has turned a nice red colour.

6. Add the garlic and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes.

7. Stir in the chilli powder and cumin, frying for a minute more until fragrant.

8. Drain the rice and put it back in the saucepan before adding to it the onion, garlic, chorizo and spices.

9. Take 4 thin slices from the cheese and set aside, then grate the rest into the rice pan and stir it through. Also stir through the dried oregano.

10. Allow the rice mix to cool and hollow out the peppers. There are several ways of doing this. As I wanted to put mine on the BBQ without the contents spilling out, I simply cut a hole in the top side of the peppers as they sat balanced on the chopping board, the. Hollowed out the seeds with a spoon. I then reserved the section I cut out to put back as a lid later. Alternatively if you wanted to oven bake them for another non-BBQ occasion, it looks pretty if you cut off the top section with the stalk, you can then pack them tightly the right way up in a baking tray. Or if you wanted smaller portions you could halve them lengthways, serving half per person without a lid. 

11. Pack the rice into the peppers, lay a slice of cheese on the top then replace the lid.

12. Wrap in foil and cook on the BBQ for 10 minutes, then unwrap and cook for a further 10 minutes to get some nice charring. OR bake in a 180C oven for 25 minutes, or until piping hot all the way through.