Gemista (Vegan)

Stuffed peppers and tomatoes (Vegan)

Another one of my all time favorites.  I eat them by hand, like fruit, sometimes as I even walk around doing other things.  Carolina rice is great here because it sticks together and will not spill out of its vegetable casing, no matter how you eat it.

4 tomatoes

10 medium green bell peppers (I buy them a few days in advance and set them out on a platter to “wither”, as my mom would say)
1 and ½ cup Carolina or Arborio rice (short and plump), soaked in water for 15 minutes
1 large onion, finely minced or grated
2 cloves garlic
a handful of pine nuts
a handful of black currants
1 carrot, finely cubed
1 zucchini, finely cubed
fresh mint, chopped
fresh parsley, chopped
salt, pepper to taste
a pinch of sugar
plenty of olive oil, extra virgin, as always

While the rice is soaking, wash the peppers and tomatoes well. Hollow out the tomatoes with a spoon and save the flesh.  Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the white seed pods.  Put them in a baking dish in a row.

Puree the tomato flesh and set aside.

Sauté the onion and garlic in three tablespoons of olive oil until soft but not brown.  Add the carrot and zucchini and cook for 2 minutes, add the pine nuts and currants and turn a few times with a spoon to coat with the oil.  Add the tomato puree and herbs and spices and let cook for about 2 minutes.  Turn down the heat to medium and add the drained rice, stirring it in so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Cook for only 3 minutes.

Using a metal soup spoon stuff the tomatoes and peppers with the rice mixture, filling to about ¾.  Cover with the caps and place snuggly against each other for support. 

Pour olive oil over the peppers and tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour in a cup of water in the pan (not on top of the vegetables).

Bake in a 200 C oven for about 30-40 minutes until the rice is soft and the peppers and tomatoes are nicely brown in places.

Serve at room temperature (never hot!) accompanied by feta cheese or tzatziki.