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Recipes for grilled stuffed peppers

Stuffed with tomatoes and herbs, these bells make a pretty side dish or light entree.

Tomatoes and herbs inside red bell peppers make a pretty side dish. Add a sprinkle of cheese, if you like. Photographs by Jim Scherer / Styling by Catrine Kelty/Jim Scherer

TIP Choose peppers that feel heavyfor their size, a good indicator of thick flesh.

GRILLED PEPPERS PIEDMONTESE

Serves 6 as a side dish

1 dry pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered, if large)

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 anchovy fillets, chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

3 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise through the stem, membranes and seeds removed

In a medium bowl, mix the tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste, the parsley, and half of the basil.

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Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high for 15 minutes. (If using gas, adjust burners to medium.)

Grill the bell peppers open sides down until the edges char, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the peppers, divide the tomato mixture among them, cover the grill, and grill until peppers are tender but not collapsed, 15 to 25 minutes.

Arrange the peppers on a platter and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the remaining basil just before serving hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Choose peppers that feel heavy for their size, a good indicator of thick flesh.

GRILLED PEPPERS STUFFED WITH ONIONS AND BACON

Serves 6 as a side dish

To make these peppers a light main course, create wells in the fillings and crack an egg into each one about 10 minutes before they’re done grilling.

2 medium onions, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices and threaded onto skewers

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 large poblano peppers, whole

3 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, membranes and seeds removed

10 slices bacon, fried, drained, and chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high for 15 minutes. (If using gas, adjust the burners to medium.)

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Brush the onions with ½ tablespoon oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Grill the onions and poblanos until onions are tender and the poblano skins are blistered, about 12 minutes, turning as necessary. Place the poblanos in a bowl, cover, and set aside to steam the skins loose, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, grill the bell peppers open sides down until the edges char, 6 to 8 minutes.

Scrape the charred skin off the poblanos and remove the cores, membranes, and seeds. Cut the flesh into thin strips. Chop the onions and, in a medium bowl, mix them with the poblano strips, bacon, garlic, paprika, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste, remaining oil, and most of the parsley.

Turn the bell peppers open sides up, divide the onion mixture among them, and grill, covered, until peppers are tender but not collapsed, 15 to 25 minutes. Arrange the peppers on a platter and sprinkle with the remaining parsley just before serving hot or warm.

GRILLED PEPPERS STUFFED WITH SARDINES AND CHICKPEAS

Serves 6 as a light entree 

¾ cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered, if large)

1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ teaspoon paprika

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Salt and black pepper

1½ teaspoons juice plus 3 thick slices from 1 lemon

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1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 3.75-ounce can oil- or water-packed sardines, drained

3 medium red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed

In a medium bowl, mix the tomatoes, chickpeas, garlic, paprika, cayenne, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste, lemon juice, and most of the parsley. Add the sardines and mix gently, taking care not to break them down.

Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high for 15 minutes. (If using gas, adjust burners to medium.)

Grill the bell peppers open sides down until the edges char, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the peppers open sides up, divide the chickpea mixture among them, cover the grill, and grill until peppers are tender but not collapsed, 15 to 25 minutes. About 4 minutes before the peppers are done, brush the lemon slices lightly with oil and grill until grill-marked. When cool, cut each grilled lemon slice in half.

Arrange the bell peppers on a platter and drizzle with oil, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and top with a piece of the grilled lemon just before serving hot, warm, or at room temperature.


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