Hearty Stuffed Bell Peppers with Turkey and Quinoa

Info

• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4

Ingredients

Quinoa

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup red quinoa

Peppers

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 clove minced garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 large red bell peppers
• 2 large green bell peppers
• 2 cups lightly packed stemmed and julienned kale leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas
• 1 1/2 cups finely ground panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce (recipe below), for garnish
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce

• 6 medium tomatillos (about 8 ounces), husked
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 jalapeno, coarsely chopped and seeds removed
• 1/2 sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia), roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Make the quinoa: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Steam until the grains pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Prepare the peppers: Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then the turkey, crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and breaking up the pieces, until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Deglaze with the wine. While the turkey browns, rinse the peppers and pat dry. Lay each pepper on its side, cut off the top, and remove the seeds and membrane. Repeat with the remaining peppers. Keep the stem on the top for presentation. Set aside.
4. When the turkey is browned, turn off the heat and fold in the quinoa, kale, and pepitas. Mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
5. In a small bowl, combine the panko and Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil to lightly moisten, and season with salt and pepper. Place the peppers cut-side up on a roasting tray and stuff each with about 1/3 cup of filling. Top each pepper half with about 2 tablespoons of the panko-Parmesan mixture. Cover loosely with foil, place in the center of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. When the peppers are tender and cooked through, remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Broil until the panko breadcrumbs are browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest before serving.
6. To serve: Spoon 1/4 cup of the Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce onto a plate and place the roasted, stuffed pepper halves in the middle of the sauce. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
7. For the sauce: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast until nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
9. In a blender, combine the tomatillos, 1/4 cup water, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, avocado, garlic, jalapenos, onions, lime juice, and cilantro. Puree until completely smooth. Refrigerate and let the sauce settle before serving for a smoother texture.