Barley-stuffed Red Bell Peppers

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 large red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 6 ounces presliced portabella mushrooms, cubed
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• hot pepper sauce
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• parsley sprig (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 combine barley and 2 cups vegetable broth in saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• 2 meanwhile, slice tops off red peppers, and remove seeds and inner membranes. reserve tops for later use. place peppers on steaming rack over boiling water, and cover saucepan.
• 3 steam peppers for about 15 minutes, or until tender but not soft. remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• 4 heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
• 5 add barley and any remaining cooking liquid, and stir until grains are coated with oil. add mushrooms and remaining 1 cup vegetable broth, and sauté mixture for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms soften and liquid absorbed.
• 6 stir in feta, lemon juice, parsley, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook about 2 minutes more. remove from heat.
• 7 stand peppers upright, and spoon barley mixture into them. fill each pepper, and serve with tops over the filling or propped alongside. garnish with parsley and serve.