Papa's Pepper Packed Peppers with Spicy Romesco sauce

(Courtesy of Spencer from @spencerthecook from Instagram ... )
Is there anything better than creating a dish and asking my sous chef daughter, princess Tori, how she likes it and hearing her reply "Amazing daddy!"? I think not! That is exactly what happened with these incredible Papa's Pepper Packed Peppers! I grew up eating this classic dish and this is a more flavorful take on that same classic dish. After all, what could be better than a spicy Romesco sauce with a packed pepper? Give it a try and I'm certain you'll agree!
For the peppers:
6 Bell peppers, halved, top to bottom
6C Cooked rice
1.5lbs. 80/20 Ground beef
2C Petite diced tomatoes
1&1/2C Sliced water chestnuts
1C Diced sweet onions
3T Worcestershire sauce
3T Fresh ground black pepper
2t Granulated garlic
2T Kosher salt
2T Horseradish
4C Freshly grated Extra sharp cheddar cheese
For the Romesco sauce:
16oz. Jar roasted red peppers
3/4C Sunflower kernels
2 cloves garlic
1/4C Sweet red onion, diced
2T Tomato paste
2t Papa's Pepper premium spice blend
1T Smoked paprika
2T Red wine vinegar
1t Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil to desired consistency
For the packed peppers:
Preheat oven to 375°
Remove all seeds veins from halved stuffed peppers. Place halved peppers on a sheet pan and put in pre-heated oven to par-cook for 12 minutes. While peppers are cooking brown ground beef until just cooked and no longer pink. Drain all the grease from the ground beef, add diced onions and mix thoroughly, breaking up all the clumps of ground beef over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, Granulated garlic and horseradish to ground beef and mix to incorporate. Add rice, tomatoes, water chestnuts and ground beef mixture to large mixing bowl and mix to incorporate. Remove peppers from oven after 12 minutes and once the peppers have cooled start stuffing the peppers with the ground beef mixture. The peppers should be malleable so using a spoon, pack the peppers full of the ground beef mixture. Top the peppers with a healthy bit of the grated cheddar cheese. Place packed peppers back in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cheese is melted and turning golden brown.
For the Romesco sauce:
Drain jar of roasted red peppers and add peppers to food processor. Add all other ingredients to food processor except sunflower kernels and olive oil. Pulse food processor until sauce is smooth. Add sunflower kernels and turn food processor on low and drizzle in olive oil until the sauce is smooth and velvety.
Assembly:
Spoon a healthy amount of Romesco sauce on a plate in a circle, then spoon a little of the leftover pepper filling on top of the sauce. Place packed pepper on top of the filing so that it sits level and doesn't slide on the plate. Garnish with chives or scallions. Enjoy!
For the peppers:
6 Bell peppers, halved, top to bottom
6C Cooked rice
1.5lbs. 80/20 Ground beef
2C Petite diced tomatoes
1&1/2C Sliced water chestnuts
1C Diced sweet onions
3T Worcestershire sauce
3T Fresh ground black pepper
2t Granulated garlic
2T Kosher salt
2T Horseradish
4C Freshly grated Extra sharp cheddar cheese
For the Romesco sauce:
16oz. Jar roasted red peppers
3/4C Sunflower kernels
2 cloves garlic
1/4C Sweet red onion, diced
2T Tomato paste
2t Papa's Pepper premium spice blend
1T Smoked paprika
2T Red wine vinegar
1t Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil to desired consistency
For the packed peppers:
Preheat oven to 375°
Remove all seeds veins from halved stuffed peppers. Place halved peppers on a sheet pan and put in pre-heated oven to par-cook for 12 minutes. While peppers are cooking brown ground beef until just cooked and no longer pink. Drain all the grease from the ground beef, add diced onions and mix thoroughly, breaking up all the clumps of ground beef over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, Granulated garlic and horseradish to ground beef and mix to incorporate. Add rice, tomatoes, water chestnuts and ground beef mixture to large mixing bowl and mix to incorporate. Remove peppers from oven after 12 minutes and once the peppers have cooled start stuffing the peppers with the ground beef mixture. The peppers should be malleable so using a spoon, pack the peppers full of the ground beef mixture. Top the peppers with a healthy bit of the grated cheddar cheese. Place packed peppers back in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cheese is melted and turning golden brown.
For the Romesco sauce:
Drain jar of roasted red peppers and add peppers to food processor. Add all other ingredients to food processor except sunflower kernels and olive oil. Pulse food processor until sauce is smooth. Add sunflower kernels and turn food processor on low and drizzle in olive oil until the sauce is smooth and velvety.
Assembly:
Spoon a healthy amount of Romesco sauce on a plate in a circle, then spoon a little of the leftover pepper filling on top of the sauce. Place packed pepper on top of the filing so that it sits level and doesn't slide on the plate. Garnish with chives or scallions. Enjoy!