Baked Bell Peppers

I LOVE this recipe. A super flavorful mix of sweet and a mild spicy. Takes a lot of ingredients and some time (it does get much quicker the second, etc time you make it...), but it's totally worth it! 

I've made it a handful of times for different people and have always gotten the same response (which usually consists of, "I figured since you're vegetarian, dinner would be bland. And I've had stuffed peppers before and they ARE bland. But these are incredible") and requests for seconds. It's awesome (the actual recipe AND the compliments). You'll make insta-friends. Money-back guarantee - I'll pay for your groceries if you don't

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

pinch of saffron

1 1/3 cups brown rice

6 tbsp pine nuts

1 onion, finely chopped (I've never actually put an onion in mine... the boy's "sensitive to onions" ;)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 cup cooked chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried apricots, soaked in water, drained and chopped

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 large red bell peppers, halved and deseeded, stalks in tact

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

salt and freshly ground pepper

Smoked Almond Dukkah (p.s. who in the world knows what dukkah is??)

1/4 cup smoked almonds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

salt and freshly cracked pepper

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.

2. Gently heat the vegetable broth in a pan and infuse the saffron in it for 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the broth has been absorbed

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet, add the pine nuts, and cook over a low heat until golden; remove and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in the pan, add the onion, and cook until lightly golden. Add the ground coriander, cumin, chickpeas, raisins and apricots and cook for 1 minute.

5. Stir in the rice and chopped parsley and season to taste

6. Fill the pepper halves with the prepared pilau (rice mixture) and place in a large roasting pan

7. Mix together the vinegar, honey and 1/2 cup of water, then pour that mixture into the base of the roasting pan (I usually do this while the rice is cooking just to save on time)

8. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes

9. For the smoked almond dukkah: heat a dry skillet and, when hot, add the almonds and seeds and toast for 30 seconds, stirring all the time. Transfer to a mortar and crush with a pestle, but not too finely, and season (and I do this while the peppers are cooking just to save on time)

10. When the peppers are cooked, remove to four serving plates, sprinkle liberally with the dukkah, whisk the pan cooking juices and pour over the peppers.