Baked Tuna-Stuffed Bell Peppers

BAKED STUFFED BELL PEPPERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A staple of the Southern diet, the perfect medium for all sorts of ground meats, chopped leftover poultry and seafood, and, for health fanatics, diced fresh vegetables and mushrooms. Much as I love canned albacore tuna in salads or by itself, just about the only way I’ll prepare it hot is when it’s mixed with other ingredients, stuffed into green, red, or yellow bell peppers, and baked with a golden cheese topping. Actually, any cooked, flaked, leftover oily fish, such as mackerel, bluefish, or fresh tuna, makes a wonderful stuffing for these peppers (or large poblano chile peppers), but if you’re curious about what Southerners might point to on a diner menu or whip up for close friends on a cold night, do try the canned tuna (solid white only).

MAKES: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large green bell peppers
• 1 cup raw long-grain rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 (6-ounce) can solid white tuna packed in oil, drained
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Paprika to taste
• 1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 cups hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut a wide circle around the stems of the bell peppers and lift off the lids. Discard the lids.
3. Scoop out and discard the seeds and membranes from the peppers.
4. Trim the bottoms of the peppers so they can stand upright.
5. Arrange the peppers in a 2-quart baking dish.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, drained tuna, finely chopped onion, thawed corn kernels, and finely chopped mushrooms.
7. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
8. Stuff equal amounts of the rice and tuna mixture into each pepper.
9. Spoon equal amounts of the chopped tomato over the mixture in each pepper.
10. Sprinkle equal amounts of shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top of each pepper.
11. Pour the hot water around the peppers in the baking dish.
12. Bake the peppers in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops are golden.
13. Carefully lift the peppers out of the baking dish using a slotted spoon.
14. Place the peppers on a large plate and serve them piping hot.