Peppers – stuffed and baked

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 bell pepper(s), no green ones
• ½ can tuna
• 0.33 cups cream cheese with herbs or garlic
• 2 mushrooms, fresh, possibly 4 small ones from the can
• 1 tbsp Parmesan, freshly grated
• 1 pinch of parsley
• 1 pinch(s) of oregano
• 1 pinch(s) basil
• 2 dashes of Maggi
• 1 dashes lemon juice
• 1 pinch(s) of cayenne pepper
• 25 g cheese, grated
• some margarine for the mold
• 1 small garlic clove(s), if desired
• 1 pinch(s) sweet paprika powder
• Spices)

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 15 minutes

Tuna and cream cheese filling, as a side dish or small main course

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) and turn on the broiler. Grease a small casserole dish (I use the flat lid of a small, round glass dish for one pod) with margarine. Halve the bell pepper lengthwise, remove the seeds and white membranes (the stem can be left on for aesthetic reasons, but it’s not necessary). Wash and dry the bell pepper. Place in the buttered casserole dish. For the filling, drain the tuna, place the drained fish pieces in a bowl, and add the cream cheese. I usually use the cheese with herbs and garlic flavor, so less seasoning is needed. If using natural cheese, you can press a small clove of garlic into the bowl. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth (drain the canned mushrooms) and cut into fine pieces, then add to the bowl. Add the Maggi and lemon juice and mix the ingredients well with a fork. It should form a pasty mixture. Now fold in the Parmesan cheese and season with oregano, basil, parsley, cayenne pepper, and spices. Evenly fill the pepper halves with the mixture, packing them in well. The mixture should fill the peppers well and only protrude in a gentle mound above the pod, as otherwise it might “run away” during heating. Sprinkle grated cheese over the filling, press down lightly, and dust the cheese topping with a little paprika. Grill the peppers for 10 minutes at 200°C (400°F) on the middle rack, then reduce the temperature to 150°C (300°F) and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the peppers rest in the warm oven for 3-5 minutes. The pepper halves should still have a bite but be cooked through. Grilling may cause the skins to brown slightly. If you prefer a darker finish, cover the halves with aluminum foil for the first 10 minutes and then let only the cheese turn golden brown and crispy. The mushrooms can be swapped or supplemented with other vegetables as desired. However, care should be taken to ensure the vegetables are not too watery. For tomatoes, for example, remove the seeds and squishy insides and use only the firm flesh. Half to a whole bell pepper can be enough as a side dish or appetizer for one person. For a filling main course, you can easily allow 1.5-2 bell peppers per person. Serve with salad or fish (e.g., grilled salmon) or baguette as a side dish.