Food and Memory

Last night I made stuffed bell peppers for dinner. While this may seem like just another recipe post, there is a story behind this recipe:

As a kid, my mom frequently made a Cuban meal called pico dillo. I'm not actually sure if that's how it is spelled, but either way, it was delicious. It's a mixture of ground beef, garlic, onion, tomato sauce, olives and raisins. It's usually served over rice.

It was my Abuelo's favorite meal, according to my dad. Abuelo has always been my favorite family member. He was always patient and smart. He was so funny. It's from him that I inherited my unending stream of bad puns. When he passed away it was devastating, but I believe he sees me every day.

So last night when I was making stuffed peppers, I realized that the filling was extremely similar to pico dillo. It smelled amazing and the whole time I was cooking, I felt like my Abuelo was with me. This has been an incredibly difficult past year and I am struggling daily to do what I need to do to succeed at school and at work. But last night, feeling close to my Abuelo, everything was a little bit easier.

Here is what you'll need:

2 large bell peppers

½ pound of ground beef

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup cooked white rice

1 8-oz. Can of tomato sauce

1 large clove garlic, smashed and minced

¼ cup chopped onion

salt

1. Get the rice going. (I cook 1 cup dry rice with 2 cups water in the microwave. I cook it uncovered on High power for 5 minutes, then covered on 50% power for 15 minutes.)

2. While the rice starts, cut off the tops of the bell peppers and take out the seeds. Chop up the good parts of the tops to include in the filling and set aside. Place the peppers in a pot with water that just covers them, and bring the water to a boil. Boil the peppers for 3 minutes. When they're done, set them in ice water for a few seconds, then drain on a paper towel while you make the filling.

3. In a pan, cook the onion, garlic, leftover peppers and ground beef with a tablespoon of olive oil until the meat is cooked through. Season with salt. Pour the tomato sauce in the pan and remove from heat. Once the rice is cooked, you'll put this in the pan, too, and stir everything up until it's mixed well. 

4. Preheat the oven to 350, and place the drained peppers in a shallow baking dish. Fill them up with the filling. Any leftover filling can be set aside for another meal-- it's delicious on its own.

5. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes. When they're done, use tongs to place them on plates, and enjoy!