Stuffed Bell Peppers

Yesterday's brief research into the history of brownies got me thinking about how cool it would be to focus this blog on the histories of different foods and/or recipes, particularly in American cooking.  As I noted yesterday, the Michigan State library has an online collection of old cookbooks (here).  Anyway, I spent some time tooling around their catalog today, and found what is generally credited to be the first American cookbook - Amelia Simmons' American Cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to the plain, adapted to this country, and all grades of life.  That title just rolls off the tongue. 

First published in 1798 - a full 20 years after the Revolutionary War began - the cookbook was the first to be written by an American using American ingredients, although many of her recipes were borrowed from British cookbooks of the time.  Her cookbook is truly unique, though, in its use of New World ingredients, which at that time were uncommon in Britain.  Crops like corn, squash, and bean (known as the Three Sisters), as well as Jerusalem artichokes and cranberries, are featured in her cookbook but were harder to come by for the average Brit. Besides shedding light on early American cookery, Simmons' book also provides a glimpse into the development of a national identity, and particularly the role of women in America - indeed, she writes that her "treatife is calculated for the improvement of the rifing generation of Females in America."  (Oh those crazy early Americans, using f's in place of s's when they feel like it!)  She was the one to emphasize Females, by the way, not me.  For what it's worth. 

What would Amelia Simmons do?

 The book is, of course, rather limited in its scope, so when I went looking through it today for any idea of what early Americans did with their bell peppers, I was unsuccessful.  I had been thinking of making stuffed bell peppers, but wanted to see what Amelia would have to say on the matter.  Apparently nothing, but I did find this gem, though: "Garlicks, though ufed by the French, are better adapted to the ufes of medicine than cookery."  Part of me loves the dig at the French, and part of me just thinks she's crazy for not cooking with garlic. 

Since Amelia wasn't much help with figuring out what to do with the peppers, I was left to my own devices.  I was, however, inspired by Simmons' recipes for corn, and decided to make a polenta stuffing for the peppers.

I doctored up the polenta by adding sauteed mushrooms and broccoli and cheese (of cheese, Amelia  says "the infide fhould be yellow, and flavored to your tafte."), and then filled the peppers and baked them. Here's the pepper-progression:

Empty.

With the polenta-veggie stuffing.

And baked to perfection!

Flowers from the boyfriend!  What a guy!

 

Stuffed Bell Peppers

The stuffing made enough for three peppers, although I only had two on hand.  It tastes pretty good on its own, though, so I'm not complaining!

3 bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
3/4 cup finely chopped broccoli
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever you like)
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 400.  Place peppers in a glass baking dish. 

Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and onion.  Cook til translucent, then add mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add broccoli, cook an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  When it boils, add polenta in a steady stream and whisk thoroughly to remove lumps.  Reduce heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add vegetables and cheese, mix well.  You could also add some hot sauce to the filling, if you want.

Scoop filling into peppers.  Add about an inch of water to the bottom of the dish (so the peppers don't dry out), and bake about 30 minutes.


**For more on Amelia Simmons, I refer you to the following article: 
Wilson, Mary Tolford (1957) Amelia Simmons Fills a Need: American Cookery, 1796.  The William and Mary Quarterly, 14(1): 16-30.