Tuna Stuffed Peppers: My version of Tuna-packed Piquillo Peppers #French Fridays with Dorie

Tuna Stuffed Peppers: Simple Living and Eating

Stuffed peppers are something I ate all the time growing up. Italians love to stuff big bell peppers with ground meat, tomato sauce and garlic. The recipe below is how I would usually stuff peppers:

Moroccan Stuffed Peppers

These are filled with ground beef, millet, currants and Moroccan spices.

So filling small peppers with tuna is really a big departure from my idea of stuffed peppers, but I love the idea of having them as a lunch or starter for a meal. The original recipe calls for piquillo peppers which are gorgeous little red peppers native to Spain. They were not available in my green market which was fine with me. Local peppers are in season and I'd rather by local produce.

I wanted to make a big tray of these peppers because I thought that they would be perfect to bring to a party. They are single servings, bright and colorful, gluten-free and they taste good at room temperature.

I adjusted the recipe to make a larger batch and to incorporate the tastes of my guests. The original recipe calls for a more intense amount of capers and olives that I knew would not go over well.

The following is my version and I have to say... I could not stop eating these, absolutely addictive. The bright lemon flavor and the contrasting salty olive taste made each bite a serious flavor feast.

My kids didn't love the peppers that much and spread the tuna on crackers which is a delicious alternative use for this wonderful tuna salad.

Tuna Stuffed Peppers

by Diane Balch

simplelivingeating.com

adapted from Tuna-Packed Piquillo Peppers by Dorie Greenspan in Around my French Table

Preparation 20 minutes Serving: 6 - 12

Ingredients:

1 pound of mini sweet peppers

4 5 ounce cans of solid white tuna

1 lemon (all it's zest and juice)

1 shallot minced

1/4 cup of chopped oil curred black olives

1/4 cup of minced fresh mint

1/2 cup of Extra-virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

2 tablespoons of capers

Directions:

1) Spray the bottom of a large baking dish with olive oil.

2) Mix tuna, lemon zest and juice, shallot, olives, mint, EVOO, salt, pepper and capers together in a large bowl. Break up tuna chunks while mixing.

3) Cut the tops off and remove the inside stem and seeds of each pepper.

4) Stuff the tuna mixture into the peppers. Really pack them.

5) Put the stuffed peppers in your baking dish and brush them lightly with some EVOO.

6) Broil for about 10 minutes or until the peppers start to brown a little and the tuna is lightly heated.

Hey, Dorista's you are invited to join my new linky party. Cook a recipe of your choice from the chosen country and explore the world with us. Oct 8TH: POLAND

Add your email to our list and I will remind you a week before the party and on the day of the party so you won't forget to link up.

Note: As a member of French Friday's with Dorie I am not allowed to print the recipe. I invite you to take a look at this wonderful cookbook "Around My French Table" if you are interested in this or any other recipe I review.