Wild Stuffed Peppers

Bell peppers are sweet when they're raw, but roasting lends them a silkiness that enhances their natural assets. Stuffed with wild rice, hazelnuts and dried fruit, they're a good side dish for poultry or game - or an unexpected main course.

Prep Time:  30 min.  Total Time: 2 hr. 30 min.  Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

½ cup chopped red onion

3 ounces mushrooms, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

½ cup wild rice blend

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup hazelnuts

¼ cup dried cherries or cranberries

3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

2 red bell peppers 

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Melt butter and oil together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring about 5 minutes. Add rice, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup chicken broth with 1/2 water and stir into rice. Simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F.

While rice is cooking, put hazelnuts on a baking pan and toast until golden, 6 minutes. Place in a kitchen towel and rub off any loose skins, then chop. Transfer to a bowl with cherries or cranberries and cheese.

Halve peppers lengthwise through stem, leaving stem intact. Remove seeds and white ribs with a small sharp knife.

Add rice to ingredients in bowl along with vinegar and stir together. Season to taste with salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each). Arrange pepper halves in baking dish and divide mixture between each. Pour remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth in dish (not on peppers). Cover tightly with foil and bake until peppers are softened, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered, to brown and crisp tops, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.