This recipe is included in "Cooking Up a Storm." The recipe was given to the newspaper in 2000 by Nicole Boyd, who makes stuffed bell peppers like those prepared by her mother, Celeste Boyd. After the family moved from Ohio to Louisiana, her mother started parboiling her peppers.
The trick to the recipe, Boyd said, is "Since the bread absorbs a lot of the seasoning as the peppers cook, you have to overseason them so they come out right."
Makes 12 side-dish servings
8 medium-size green bell peppers
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound peeled and veined shrimp, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can crabmeat (not drained)
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 small stale loaf (about 18 ounces) sliced white bread
2 tablespoons butter, softened or melted
Cayenne to taste, optional
About 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Cut the bell peppers in half, clean and parboil for 10 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Cook onions, parsley and garlic, stirring, until onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
In same skillet, cook beef over medium heat until it is no longer pink, about 6 minutes, breaking it into small bits. Add shrimp, crabmeat and reserved onion mixture, folding all together. Continue cooking for 10 minutes more. Season heavily with Tony's and remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop 4 of the parboiled bell pepper halves and mix into the meat mixture. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle bread slices, including the heels, with water (they shouldn't be soaking wet), and add bread to the bowl. Mix until the bread disappears. Add butter and taste for seasoning (stuffing should be very generously seasoned), adding more Tony's and cayenne pepper, if desired.
Stuff mixture into remaining bell pepper halves and arrange them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake uncovered until the bread crumbs are nice and toasty, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, or let cool, cover well and freeze for later.
