Harissa-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Step 1

Start by prepping the bulgur: Place it in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Allow to it to stand for about 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender. If it’s not tender by that point, continue to let it stand until all water is absorbed.

Step 2

Next, you’ll broil the peppers before stuffing them. Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element, and preheat the broiler to high. Place the peppers on baking sheet, cut sides down, and broil them for 5 minutes. Flip the peppers, then broil for 5 to 7 minutes more, until they are just starting to blacken.

Step 3

Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and drain any excess liquid from the peppers (you’ll see they’ve shred quite a bit of water). Sprinkle each pepper lightly with salt and black pepper. Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Step 4

Once the bulgur is done, finish the filling: Heat the oil until shimmering in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, fennel seed, cumin and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the bulgur, beans, kale, the 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper; cook until the kale has wilted, about 1 minute. Add the cheese cubes, stirring until they are just melted. Remove from the heat, taste and season with a few pinches of salt, as needed.

Step 5

Divide the bulgur filling among the charred peppers; mounding it is okay. Cover the baking sheet loosely with aluminum foil. Roast for 15 minutes, until the peppers are easily pierced with a fork.

Step 6

Top each stuffed pepper half with pistachios, then dollop with harissa (take a taste of the harissa before dolloping to assess the spice level!). Serve warm.