Greek Stuffed Peppers

Main Dish, Side Dish

Before you ask, no Greeks are harmed in the preparation of this meal. This is one of those meals that is as good cold as hot. Choose small peppers and you can serve it as a "side" with a soup or Greek Salad as the main dish. Preparation takes maybe 20 Minutes and the peppers take about an hour to cook. You get eight servings.

Ingredients/Shopping List
• 4 large green bell peppers, tops removed, seeded
• 4 large red bell peppers, tops removed, seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound ground pork
• 2 onions, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup dry white wine 1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato puree
• 1 (4 ounce) package feta cheese
• ½ cup cooked white rice
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place green and red bell peppers in a bowl with enough warm water to cover, and soak 5 minutes. Afterwards, "top" and seed the peppers. I recommend, for aesthetic reasons choosing at least two colors of peppers. I often pick 4 red, 2 green, and 2 yellow.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork and onions in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pork is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in wine and tomato puree. Continue cooking 10 minutes.

Transfer contents of skillet to a bowl. Mix in feta cheese, cooked rice, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley. Stuff peppers with the mixture, and arrange in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil, and continue baking 10 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned.

Can be served hot or cold. I enjoy this as a hot main dish and a cold side dish. As a side this goes well with bean soup, chicken and rice. Less conventional, but just as good would be lobster bisque, crab bisque, or clam chowder.