Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 cup bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 yellow)
- 2 cup zucchini (or 1 zucchini and 1 yellow summer squash)
- 2 cup large tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon small onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 pound white button mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3 pound garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preparation
Baking Directions:
This recipe relies on a farmer's market mentality and is inspired by beautiful and bountiful vegetables that are available and in season.
Just about any vegetable that can be made into a cup for holding the bulgur works, such as tomatoes, peppers, portobello mushroom caps, cabbage leaves, eggplant halves, onions, and summer squash.
I stuff vegetables with nutty, toothsome bulgur because it stays fluffy and has a nice texture, even when compressed into a vegetable.
That said, brown rice, millet and quinoa can all stand in for the bulgur if you prefer.
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the bulgur in a large heatproof bowl.
Pour the broth into a medium saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups water, bring to a boil, and then pour over the bulgur.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until the bulgur is tender, about 20 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
Slice off the top third of the bell peppers, cut out the stems, and then finely chop the flesh; set aside for later.
Use your fingers or a paring knife to remove the ribs and seeds from the bottom of each pepper to make a cup that will hold the stuffing.
3.Halve the zucchini crosswise.
Finely chop half of the zucchini and slice the other half lengthwise, then use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds so you have a boat.
Halve the tomatoes crosswise and use a spoon to remove the seeds from the bottom and top to make 4 cups.
4.Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until it softens and becomes translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the reserved chopped bell peppers and zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan, season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, drain the vegetables in a fine-mesh sieve before proceeding.
If there is remaining liquid in the bowl with the bulgur, drain the bulgur in a fine-mesh sieve and return to the bowl along with the sautéed vegetables.
Stir in the tarragon.
5.Place the pepper and tomato cups and zucchini boats on a cutting board.
Season the inside of the vegetables with the remaining salt and black pepper and then stuff the vegetables with the bulgur mixture until filled to their rims.
Carefully transfer the vegetables to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and bake until the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes longer.
Serving Directions:
Serve warm or at room temperature.
