FROM THE UNION KITCHEN: PETE’S PEPPER, BEEF AND RICE BAKE

A true comfort dish that can feed an army, a recipe Mr Pete Cross himself has perfected over the years.

Serves 6 easily.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, chopped
• 4-6 peppers, any colour
• 500g minced beef
• 1.5 cups easy cook long grain rice
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 1 tin of chopped tomato
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 200g grated cheddar

You will need an 8-10″ gratin dish with a lid. Preheat your oven to 160C.

Cut the tops off the peppers and retain the lids. Cut the rest of the pepper into 4 and remove the pith. Lightly oil the gratin dish and line the bottom and sides with the pepper pieces, skin side out. Any leftover pepper chop up.

Wash the rice and put into a pot and cover with cold water. Just bring to the boil, then drain and put to one side.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic, celery and leftover diced peppers and cook until softened.

Add the mince and stir until browned.

Add the tomato paste, tinned tomato, paprika, rice and vegetable stock. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mix into the prepared gratin dish and place the pepper tops on top.

Cover the gratin with its lid and bake for about an hour, rest for 15 minutes.

Open the lid, pull out any pepper stalks and discard, then top with the grated cheese. Put under the grill or back in the oven until the cheese is nice and melted and golden.

ENJOY!!!