TEX MEX STUFFED PEPPERS

TEX MEX STUFFED PEPPERS image

Number Of Ingredients 16

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2 slices bacon, chopped (or substitute 2 teaspoons olive oil for a vegetarian version of this dish)
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
1 1/2 cups home cooked or canned black beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
A small pinch of dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 large or 6 medium-sized bell peppers
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
2-4 finely minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce)
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander greens, dhania, etc.)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar, or queso blanco)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons pitted and sliced black olives

Steps:

In a frying pan, saute the chopped bacon until lightly browned. Stir in the minced garlic and saute until golden. Stir in the drained black beans, cumin, oregano, and red pepper. Cook for one minute, taste, and season with salt and pepper, if the latter are needed. Set aside. (For the vegetarian version of this dish, substitute 2 teaspoons olive oil for the bacon and proceed as described above.) In a small bowl, combine the sour cream (or yogurt) with the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and cilantro. Set aside. Prepare each bell pepper for stuffing by cutting off its stem end to create a "lid", as shown in the photos above. Scoop out each pepper's core, seeds, and any excess white pith. Place the bell peppers, cut side up, in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish just large enough to accommodate them. Stuff each bell pepper, in order, with layers of the black bean mixture, sour cream (or yogurt) sauce, avocados, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. Add 1/4 cup water to the bottom of the baking dish and bake the stuffed bell peppers covered at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes until the peppers are cooked through and lightly browned on top. Serves 4-6.