Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

I had no idea that bell peppers came in purple! I saw them in the bin of local produce at Whole Foods and got extremely excited. How fun! I'd been planning to make this recipe for a long while, and now that I had a purple pepper, it was time! I did a little research (first, to make sure that the purple pepper would not kill me) and learned that they are very similar in taste to green bell peppers, which I later affirmed by eating one. Like the green, they are less sweet than the red, orange, or yellow ones. While the purple caught my eye, red remain my favorite flavor.

You can use any assortment of colors you'd like to make your stuffed peppers. This recipe makes ample filling- it might be enough to stuff more than 6. But do not fear, because it tastes fab all on its own! It's a simple meal with a stunning presentation.

INGREDIENTS
6 large multi-color bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds and ribs removed
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
1/2 lb. ground beef sirloin
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed if using canned)
1 cup corn (I used fresh corn cut off the cob and roasted)
1 cup prepared salsa
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. adobo seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
monterey jack cheese, shredded
cilantro, to garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Preheat large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, onion, and garlic. Saute until beef is browned. Drain fat.

2. Stir in black beans, corn, salsa, and cooked rice. Season with cumin, chili powder, adobo, salt, and pepper. Cook until heated through.

3. Place peppers in a greased baking dish. Stuff with ground beef mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until the cheese has melted and the peppers have softened. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Food alla Puttanesca)