These are a perfect main course for vegetarian guests. The punchy spices and texture of the chestnut mushrooms make them a hearty vegetarian alternative to the meat used in many stuffed vegetables.

Method:

• Wash the peppers and cut the top to form a lid. Trim a sliver off the bottom so they’ll stand up in the oven dish

• Cook the rice: first rinse it well in cold water to remove the starch, add it to a large pan and add one and a half times the volume of water to rice (so, for one cup of rice 1.5 cups of water).

• Add salt, pepper and the turmeric, boil and then simmer until the water has been absorbed.

• Chop the mushrooms finely (but not so they become mushy) to give them the consistency of minced meat.

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms, 25g of the parsley plus salt, pepper and the spices. Stir well until any liquid has evaporated

• Add the rice and half the tomato sauce and stir well.

• Heat your oven to 180°C.

• Spread half the fried mushroom/rice/sauce mixture over the base of a large oven dish.

• Arrange the mini peppers on top and spoon the rest of the mixture into them, then replace their tops and pop the pepper slivers into the dish.

• Bake for 40 minutes until the peppers are tender but not collapsing and piping hot. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley.
  
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