This is the classic Turkish rice filling for vegetables to be served cold. Choose plump bell peppers that can stand on their base. I prefer to use red peppers because they are sweeter and for the color, but in Turkey green ones are more often used.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 large onion, finely chopped

　　6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 1/4 cups short-grain or risotto rice

　　Salt and pepper

　　1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

　　3 tablespoons pine nuts

　　3 tablespoons currants or tiny black raisins

　　1 large tomato, peeled and chopped

　　1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

　　2 tablespoons chopped mint

　　2 tablespoons chopped dill

　　2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　6 medium green or red bell peppers

　　To serve: 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt mixed with 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)

　　

Step 1

For the filling, fry the onion in 3 tablespoons oil until soft. Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated and translucent. Pour in 2 cups water and add salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed but the rice is still a little underdone. Stir in the pine nuts, currants or raisins, tomato, cinnamon, allspice, mint, dill, parsley, and lemon juice, as well as the rest of the oil.

　　

Step 2

Retaining the stalk, cut a circle around the stalk end of the peppers and set to one side to use as caps. Remove the cores and seeds with a spoon and discard. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture, and replace the caps.

　　

Step 3

Arrange the peppers side by side in a shallow baking dish, pour about water into the bottom, and bake in the oven preheated to 375°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Be careful that they do not fall apart.

　　

Step 4

Serve cold, accompanied, if you like, by a bowl of yogurt beaten with or without crushed garlic.

　　Arabesque