It's on...

My flatmates and I have been cooking dinners for each other of late. One night a week each. Within 3 weeks, it's become somewhat of a competition. 

Now this bold assertion may wound Damian who last night made a smashing mushroom and peppercorn concoction to accompany a delicious steak with mashed potato, but I think he’s lying when he tells me that he’s read my blog, so I could just get away with it.

This Monday, my flatmate Lili put together what was in my opinion, the best meal so far…

Lili’s Stuffed Capsicums on Brown Rice

6 x red capsicums (try find ones that sit up by themselves)
4 x Spanish chorizo sausages (cut into small pieces)
1 x zucchini (diced very small)
3 x large Portabello mushrooms (cut into small pieces)
1/2 pack cherry tomatoes (cut in halves)
1/2 pack garlic and cumin feta (chopped into small cubes)
3 gloves garlic (diced very small)
1/2 red onion (diced very small)
1 x lemon
100 gms Ricotta
Little bit of Edam cheese to seal the caps
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Pinch of nutmeg and cumin
Brown rice

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius

2. Lightly sear chorizo, zucchini, mushrooms and the garlic.

3. Mix cherry tomatoes, red onion, cumin, nutmeg, ricotta and feta together separately and when the hot mixture has cooled down, mix everything together.

4. Hollow out the seeds from the 6 red capsicums and pop them onto a cooking tray (if they need help standing you should make little stands for them out of tin foil, see picture).

5. Pour mixture into each capsicum making sure that they are full but not over stuffed.

6. Add a decent dash of the balsamic vinegar into the capsicums and close the lid with slices of edam cheese. Pop the lid of the capsicum back on and put the tray in the oven.

7. Cook the capsicums for about 30 mins, or until the skin starts puffing out and crisping.

8. While the capsicums are cooking make some brown rice.

9. Once the rice is cooked mix the juice of a lemon through the rice to taste.

10. Take capsicums out of the oven and leave to cool before serving them over the rice with salt/pepper and some basil leaves on top.

Delicious!

The juices slowly escaped the capsicums as they sat on a bed of lovely, lemony brown rice. I truly can’t fault a single bit of the meal. They’re a perfect meal for those of you that find yourselves, like me, quite often, cooking for one.

Lili thinks they’re even tastier the next day and I can vouch for that having kept my seconds for lunch on Tuesday.

Aren’t they gorgeous!?

Thanks to those who sent me through their suggestions about my mysterious fruit. Majority opinion has lead me to believe I have obtained a plantain! Special thanks to Claire Mead for the Plantain Hash Cake recipe she found for me. I will post it up next week.  Double pass tickets coming your way soon Claire.

Cheers!