Hungarian Beef & Lamb Stuffed Bell Peppers

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 8 medium green bell peppers
• 2 lbs lean ground chuck (beef)
• 1 lb ground lean lamb
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 1/2 cups catsup
• 3/4 pint sour cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Recipe

• 1 prepare rice by rinsing under cold water for a few seconds.
• 2 put rice in small pot with water and bring to boil uncovered, at medium heat.
• 3 when rice begins to boil, lower heat to medium low and place lid on pot tilted to allow steam to escape.
• 4 cover tightly when craters appear in rice, lower heat and simmer approx 15 minutes.
• 5 let sit for 5 minutes, fluff with fork and let cool.
• 6 prepare green peppers by slicing off tops approximately 1/4" down and remove seeds and membrane.
• 7 wash peppers and allow to drain upside down on paper towel.
• 8 prepare filling by placing ground meat in large bowl.
• 9 saute diced onions in vegetable oil in small saute pan until onion is transparent.
• 10 add to meat bowl.
• 11 add salt and pepper.
• 12 add 1/2 can tomato sauce (reserving remaining 1/2 can) add rice to bowl and combine ingredients with hands until blended together.
• 13 add lightly beaten egg and continue to blend mixture.
• 14 loosly pack each pepper with meat mixture forming small dome on top.
• 15 if you have extra filling, form into individual meat balls.
• 16 in large stock pot, pour remaining 1/2 can tomato sauce and 1/2 can water, swishing around until blended.
• 17 place stuffed peppers into stockpot, along with extra meatballs (if you made any).
• 18 add 1 can tomato soup, 1/2 can water to pot.
• 19 add catsup to pot.
• 20 add remaining 3 cans tomato sauce, and add about 1/2 can of water to each can to clean up remaining sauce in can.
• 21 add this to pot also.
• 22 bring stockpot to boil, lower heat, cover with lid slightly tilted.
• 23 cook over low heat for about 1 hour.
• 24 blend flour into sour cream in bowl.
• 25 slowly blend in about 1/2 cup (or more) hot gravy from pot.
• 26 add sour cream mixture slowly into pot, stirring constantly until gravy slightly thickens and becomes a deep orangy color, rather than the bright red color of tomatoes.
• 27 serve peppers in bowls, split open, and generously covered with gravy.
• 28 have crusty bread available for soaking up the rich gravy.