Stuffed Peppers with Tri-Colored Quinoa

Ingredients

Stuffed Peppers with Tri-Colored Quinoa
by Chef Patricia DeMauro

Stuffed Peppers with Tri-Colored Quinoa Topped with Pepper Jack Cheese. One is not enough!

Preparation

1. Raisins and walnuts. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Boil 1 cup water. Turn heat off then add the raisins to boiled water so they plump. Set aside. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup walnuts. Set aside.
2. Cook quinoa. Put 1 cup of quinoa and 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot.  Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes, then put into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. Toasted unseasoned breadcrumbs. In a heated skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter and then add 1 cup breadcrumbs. Stir breadcrumbs until they absorb all the butter and continue to stir until breadcrumbs are browned. If you need to add a bit more butter, feel free to do so. Set aside
4. Wash peppers. Cut each pepper in half. Remove seeds and white membrane. Baste each half of pepper with olive oil, then place each pepper in a baking dish that you lightly oiled. Place peppers into preheated oven and cook about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool down, so that they will be easy to handle when adding filling (see below).
5. Make filling.
   Carrots – wash, peel and coarsely grate.
   Zucchini – wash, peel and finely dice.
   Red onion – remove skin and finely dice.
   Garlic cloves – chop
   In a heated skillet add oil, then cook onions and garlic. Stir until lightly browned. Add zucchini, carrots, and continue cooking – stirring often. Add salt and black pepper. Once the onions, garlic, carrots and zucchini are cooked, add them to the cooked tri-colored quinoa that has been set aside in a large bowl. Stir all ingredients well to combine.Drain water from raisins before adding them to the quinoa mixture. Add chopped nuts to the quinoa mixture.Add the following spices to the quinoa mixture and stir well. Paprika, garlic powder, cumin.
6. Add filling to pepper boats. Peppers should be cooled down before you fill them. Once peppers are cooled down you can start to fill them as follows. Place 2 tablespoons of toasted breadcrumbs onto the bottom of the pepper. Then add 2 tablespoons of quinoa mixture while patting the mixture down with the back of your spoon. Finish by topping off with a sprinkle of toasted breadcrumbs onto each pepper.
7. Make sauce. Heat skillet and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Then add can diced tomatoes with chilies, can of chiles chipotles adobados sauce, tomato purée, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, black pepper. Simmer to a light boil for 5 – 8 minutes. Pour sauce around peppers in baking dish and add a little on top of each pepper. Then generously sprinkle each pepper with pepper jack cheese. Place peppers in broiler on low for 5 – 8 minutes or until cheese melts and sauce is hot.

Mangia!