Cuban Golden Cumin-Tomato Stuffed Peppers (Ajies Rellenos)

About This Recipe

Ajies rellenos - stuffed peppers - are a fixture of Cuban Sunday dinners, built on the same picadillo-style filling used in so much of the island's cooking: ground beef browned hard, a proper sofrito, tomato and cumin, all bulked out with rice so the filling holds its shape once baked inside the pepper. The key technique is parboiling the peppers briefly before stuffing so they soften just enough to become tender in the oven without collapsing, and packing the filling firmly so it doesn't fall apart when the peppers are sliced at the table.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 largebell peppers(tops cut off, seeded)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 lbground beef
• 1onion(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 can (15 oz)crushed tomatoes(divided)
• 1 cupcooked white rice
• 0.25 cupraisins
• 0.25 cupgreen olives(chopped)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupshredded cheese(optional, for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Parboil the peppers

   Blanch the hollowed peppers in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes to soften slightly. Drain upside down.

2. 2

   Brown the beef

   Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ground beef, breaking it up, until browned, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat.

3. 3

   Build the sofrito filling

   Add onion to the pan and cook 5 minutes until soft, then stir in garlic and cumin for 1 minute.

4. 4

   Combine the filling

   Stir in half the crushed tomatoes, the rice, raisins, olives and salt. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened.

5. 5

   Stuff and top

   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pack the filling firmly into each pepper, place upright in a baking dish, and pour the remaining crushed tomatoes over the tops.

6. 6

   Bake

   Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover, top with cheese if using, and bake another 10-12 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.

Variations

• •

  Use ground turkey or pork instead of beef for a lighter or different flavor profile.

• •

  Make it vegetarian by substituting the beef with black beans and extra rice.

• •

  Swap bell peppers for poblano peppers for a slightly smokier, earthier version.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or microwave individually until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions