Green Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Ground Beef ( Ajies Rellenos con Arroz y Picadillo)

Bell peppers, green, red yellow or orange can be stuffed with pretty much anything you like; chicken, beef, pork meat, sausage, chorizo, ham etc. This recipe is stuffed with white rice and ground beef Cuban style. There are many ways to make these, some people stuff them with the rice and beef raw and allow them to cook in the sauce, but I cheated a bit and cooked the rice and beef first and then stuffed them. Then I placed them in a pot with a tomato based sauced and let them simmer for 20 minutes in low heat.



Ingredients

One whole stuffed pepper should be about 1 serving, so make one for each guest.
 4 whole bell peppers (the color of your choice)
1 pound of ground beef ( or any meat you prefer)
1 whole medium size red or yellow onion
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
2 culantro leaves
1/2 cup of dry cooking wine
8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of mojo criollo (spanish marinade, if available)
1 Tbsp of complete seasonin ( Sazon completa- If not available, use any meat seasoning mix)
1/4 cup of chopped garlic

Season the meat with the spanish marinade, seasoning mix, and add the chopped cilantro. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Make white rice and set aside. Cut the top of the bell peppers but do not discard. Remove the seeds and the heart of the pepper with a knife of kitchen sheers. Once the meat is well marinated and seasoned, heat 1 to 2 tbsp of olive oil or the oil of your choice in a deep pan. Sautee the beef until thoroughly cooked. You can add olives capers and raisins if you wish so. Once the meat is cooked, add 4 ounces of tomato sauce and the dry cooking wine and salt to your taste. If it is too dry add 1/4 cup of water Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. In a pot large enough to fit all 4 peppers, heat some olive oil, add 1/4 of chopped onions and a bit of chopped garlic sautee until fragrant and then add the rest of the tomato sauce.  Remove from the heat and set aside. Fill the bottom half of all the peppers with white rice and the top half with ground beef. Place the top back on the peppers and introduce them in the pot with the sauce, then add sufficient water to reach about half way up the peppers. Place on the stove on medium-low heat, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Before serving top with the cheese of your choice place in the oven until the cheese is melted and serve hot!

Enjoy