Aji Relleno (Green Bell Pepper Stuffed with Ground Beef)

Well this is my grandmothers stuffed Bell Pepper dish. It is a green bell pepper, stuffed with well seasoned raw ground beef binded with raw beaten eggs, stuffed well, sealed and simmered in a tomato based sauce.

This is a comorting dish (well to me almost anything Cuban that has been simmered, etc. is comfort food.)

Main Ingredients:

-6 medium green bell peppers

-1 beaten egg to bind the tops

Ingredients for filling:

-1 lbs. lean ground beef

-2 large eggs beaten

-1/2 onion minced

-4 cloves garlic finely minced (mashed to a paste in a mortar or with a garlic press)

-1/2 bunch cilantro or parsley minced

-1 teaspoon cumin

-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

-1 1/2 more or less salt to taste

-1/2 cup cracker meal or bread crumbs

For the sauce

-1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce

-1 teaspoon cumin

-1/2 teaspoon oregano

-Salt to taste

-1/2 a bunch of cilantro minced or parsley

-1/2 onion minced

-4 cloves of garlic finely minced or mashed (in a mortar or garlic press)

Directions for Main Ingredients and Filling:

(1)Wash the green bell pepper from outside only, cut a small circle on top of the bell pepper where the stem is, just remove the stem cap, carefully clean out the insides without ripping, remove seeds and white parts. As much as you can without breaking it. Set aside.

(2)Beat an egg and add a pinch of salt set aside.

(3)Now mix ground beef with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and salt to taste, 1/2 minced onion, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 bunch cilantro, 2 beaten eggs, and 1/2 cup cracker crumbs or bread crumbs, or grated hard old bread your choice ( I use crackers)

(4)Now fill bell peppers carefully with ground beef mixture, don't fill all the way to top leave a little bit of space and spoon in a little beaten egg to be able to make the caps of the bell pepper fit. Repeat until your done with all peppers. If you have leftover meat you can just get another bell pepper and prepare it, or you can make it into a meatball or something. (I had no leftover ground meat)

Directions for sauce:

(5)Now heat exra-virgin olive oil on medium, then sautee 1/2 minced onions and 4 garlic cloves until fragrant don't let garlic burn, add tomato sauce, and about 1 cup water to thin our sauce, then add cumin, oregano, and salt to taste, bring to a boil stir.

(6)Place carefully bell peppers over boiling sauce standing up, spoon over sauce, cover and simmer on medium low for 25- 30 minutes until everything is cooked.

(7)Your done sprinkle some minced cilantro or parsley around.

I ate it today with the "Congri Con Coco" (check out recipe on my blog) I made.

If your wondering how to start digging into the bell pepper, in my house we simply cut it right down the middle with a fork and kinfe then cut pieces with bell pepper and meat and eat like that. Then I scoop some of the tasty sauce with my spoon and drizzle it over each bite.

PLEASE DO NOT JUST SCOOP OUT MEAT AND NOT EAT BELL PEPPER IF SO DON'T EAT IT AT ALL!