Blue cheese stuffed peppers

Serves 6

Prep time: approximately 45 minutes

3 red bell peppers

6 slices provolone cheese

3/4 cup basmati rice

4 oz blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup pine nuts

leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme, chopped

juice and zest from 1 lemon

Photo credit Ken Kaushansky

This recipe has all the qualities that make it a great entertaining dish: you can make it ahead and bake it right before serving, it’s vegetarian (here in Seattle, this is a requirement for someone at every party) and it just tastes good. I also like making it the night before and popping it in the oven as soon as I get home for family dinners. I love to make it at the end of summer - there are still bell peppers available at the farmer’s markets but it “feels” like fall - everything about this dish says “cozy." I often serve it along side my roasted lemon romaine salad.

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the bell peppers in half, length-wise. I like to cut down the middle of the stem so you see half the stem on each half. Place the peppers flesh-side up on a baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes.

Next, make the rice. Add just shy of 2 1/2 cups of water to a small pot and bring it to a boil. Salt generously, and add rice. Turn heat down to low, and cook until rice is tender, being careful not to overcook. While the rice is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over low heat for 3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to make sure they do not burn. Once the rice is cooked, mix in blue cheese, pine nuts, thyme and the lemon juice and zest.

Stuff each bell pepper half with the rice mixture, and top with provolone. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, then broil for an additional ~1-2 minutes or until the top is slightly brown. Serve while warm.