1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or can substitute other beans)
½ cup dry red wine
2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
½ cup drained and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup dried currants
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or ½ teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Salt to taste
4 large red or yellow bell peppers
¾ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly oil an 8-by-10-inch baking pan.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium; stir in the remaining ingredients, except the bell peppers and Parmesan. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
While the rice mixture is cooking, cut about 1 inch off the stem end of each pepper. Discard the tops. Seed and de-rib each pepper; cut a thin slice off the bottom, if necessary, so the pepper will stand straight.
When the rice is done, taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon about ¾ cup of the rice into each pepper. Place the peppers in the prepared pan. Cover the peppers with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and top each pepper with about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bell peppers are fork-tender.
You could also add a ground meat to this for more protein and/or variety. This type of recipe is great for dinner parties too since it is elegant but you are able to eat it!
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