The last time I had stuffed peppers with cream cheese at a brunch, I wasn’t impressed. In fact, I was so disheartened that I didn’t feel like using these peppers to stuff with cream cheese because it reminded me of that bland pepper. When I got these robust peppers at the farmers’ market, I knew these are made for stuffing. I decided to make a darn good stuffed pepper to make me forget about the one that scarred me.
After taking a bite into the cream cheese laden pepper filled with purple olives and copious amounts of garlic that would keep a vampire at bay for several nights, I knew what was missing in the abovementioned bland pepper – the stinking rose! It has the power to transform flavour like no other spice. It uplifts all the other ingredients. Heck, it perks up even the most mundane broccoli. I didn’t keep them in the oven for too long because I was afraid the cream cheese would dry out. Good call. Needless to say, everyone polished off the plate of stuffed peppers in a jiffy.
I can imagine goat cheese being such a delicious stuffing too, topped with some fresh mozzarella. And to take it a level higher: wrap it in bacon and then cook it on a grill. I used local chillies, but you could use larger than regular sized (easier for stuffing) jalapeños too.
Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Serves: 4-6 as a side dish
Ingredients:
250g / 10 oz chilli peppers, halved and deseeded
Stuffing
1 package / 225g cream cheese
4 tbsp black olives, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (of course, I used more)
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh herbs ( mint, basil or thyme)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Grease a baking sheet and place the cut peppers open side up and roast for 7-9 minutes. The peppers will crackle away. Remove from oven, let it cool.
- In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the stuffing. Check for seasoning.
- Stuff the filling into cooled peppers (a piping bag can be really neat) and refrigerate for 20 minutes until the cheese firms up.
- Place the stuffed peppers on the baking sheet again and bake at 175C/350F for 7-9 minutes until golden spots being to appear on the surface of the cheese.
- Serve warm.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh these look soooo good! nad such a perfect party appetizer!
Looks yummy and LOL on your comment on the stinking rose!!!!
its a pretty versatile dish, that can be cooked in a hundred different ways!!!
Shobha
There’s nothing wrong with an overload of garlic – especially in such a scrumptious combination.
Ooh, these look delicious! I’m a huge fan of anything containing garlic and cream cheese! :)
hi Shaheen! have tried these with hung yogurt, garlic & chives! simply yumm…your’s look great too will def try them!
hey shaheen,
Debi once agian from India, Accenture and not indiana ;)
well thank you for the recipe. well when u mention cream cheese, are you ref to the ones that you pick up paying a lil more than necessary from spar or any mall?? i pay 250/400 a pack depending on theplace its exported form.. do you have any substitute? like really thinck hung curd? if not theni guess have use cream cheese which is absolutely brilliant in texture and taste, so no harm paying that much!
and from your other posts i understand that bombay sells rhubarbs and blue berry :( bangalore dosn :(
Good photographs :)
Take care, and post more!
oh this time i am from Texas ;) :P
Hhaha you’re too funny. I’m turning off this plugin right now!
And for the stuffing – you can use anything: crumbled paneer, cream cheese. I think crumbled paneer mixed with some hung curd to bind it together will taste nice. The yoghurt will impart a much needed tang to the paneer.
I’ve used Philadelphia cream cheese here.
Let me know what you try!
ohh yes, we have phil cream cheese here too i pay 400 odd for it from spar… ok great wll continue using that. i was actually wondering if i was the only one paying that much for 200gms… :)
anyways, stuffed anything like capsicum, parval (esp with prawn-bong speciality) is moms fav.. will wait this weekend to buy fresh peppers for her and mix cream cheese and paneer and make for her..
will keep coming back for more.. :)
have a great weekend.
Debs
Woah! Finally Debipriya from India. :)
See, now I know when you’re sneaking at your workplace and commenting. Heheh
We get the cream cheese at half the price here! Rs 200 for 225g. Never tried parval. Or at least not that I know of. Unless it’s known by a different name locally.
Have an awesome weekend, you too!
This a considerably healthier version of the fried jalapeno popper. My husband loves that breaded and deep fried treat, but perhaps I’ll have to make him this a more waist-line friendly option!
Just found your blog and LOVE it. The design is fabulous. Easy to navigate and I love all of your icons. Great photos too!!
I’m making these right now!! well..a variation in any case. Hope it goes well! :)
Hi Shaheen
I don’t normally comment on food blogs, yours is one of the few i have recently started visiting.
I tried these, on Diwali, at home..turned out delicious. Even my non cheese eating grandpa tasted it, since it looked so innovative.
Thanks for this super recipe. Please keep them coming. :)
Hah
hey .. whr do u buy the cream cheese for 200 rs in bbay ? i get it for 400 .. plz lemme know .. ps: u have a great blog :)
I just made these w/ the softer 1/3 less fat cream cheese Neufchatlel (as that is what was in fridge easier to spread on bagels) added a little brie, a shallot I went & got out of the garden & some green tops, large clove garlic, fresh Italian & Thai basil & some fresh mint, salt & pepper & used some kalamata olives. It is so darn good I have to stop myself from eating it all as I need to take it to a girls night party @ a friends house tonight. Thanks
{ 2 trackbacks }