BBQ Stuffed Elk Bell Peppers

by Kristy Crabtree
(Sparks, Nevada)

Boiling your bell peppers prior to cooking on the BBQ is what really makes this dish a success. The sweetness of the pepper and the elk meat, the carmelized onion infused by the BBQ… and then top it off with melted cheese. Wow… It’s delicious.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb Elk burger
- 5 bell peppers (Red, Yellow or Orange)
- 1 1/2 cup Basamati Rice (pre-cooked)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 cup mushroooms
- 1 cup tomatoes or canned tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Marsala Wine
- 5 Slices Swiss Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 tablespoon oregeno
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Bring large pot of water to boil on high heat. While water is boiling, cut the top off peppers and remove seeds. Add salt to boiling water and submerge peppers in water until their flesh is soft, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from water and set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in large cast iron skillet. Add and cook chopped onions, mushrooms and garlic until soft and translucent. About 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add Marsala wine to mixture and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove mixture from skillet and set aside.

Place skillet back on heat and continue to cook the Elk burger until done. Remove and set aside to cool.

Pre-heat the barbeque to high temperature.

Add the meat and rice to the onion-mushroom-tomato mixture. Add the oregeno, Worcestershire, salt and pepper and stir. Place cooled peppers next too each other on a large piece of tinfoil. Pull tinfoil around the sides of the peppers so that they are held tightly together. Stuff meat mixture into each pepper until topped off. Place a piece of Swiss Cheese on top of each filled pepper. Finish by placing the Pepper ‘top’ or ‘lid’ over Swiss Cheese.

Place peppers in tinfoil direct on BBQ. Close lid and cook for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is full melted. I also prefer to have my peppers cooked directly on the grill. You can always remove the peppers from the foil once the meat is warm and continue to cook on direct heat.