Ground beef stuffed capsicum

I was never a fan of stuffed capsicum, I didn't like how compact and stuffed the peppers were, was almost like a meatloaf. Come to think of it, I never liked green capsicum for that matter either. And I hate cooked capsicum of any kind. So its ironic this has become one of my go to dishes when I dont know what I feel like!

One day I was in the kitchen just playing around with flavor combos and cooking methods and this is what stuck and I ended up liking the best. I originally had it with red capsicum too, but the green adds an extra freshness that I adore.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 green capsicums, cut in half and centers cleaned out

300g ground beef

1/2 zucchini, diced

5 large mushrooms, diced

1/2 brown onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp coriander seed powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 small bunch of basil, sliced

1 handful of shredded Mozzarella

1 tbsp Olive oil

Chili flakes to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Cut the capsicums in half, cleaning out the center and then setting aside.

2. Prepare the onion, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms.

3. Heat the olive oil in a fry pan and add the onion, seasoning with salt to draw out the moisture.

4. Once the onion is translucent, add in the Zucchini and garlic, and sautéed until they start to soften, before adding in the mushrooms.

5. Once all ingredients are combined, season with salt and pepper and add the dry spices, stirring until well coated and aromatic.

6. Finally add in the ground beef, seasoning with salt and pepper and chili flakes if you desire. Break it up with the rest of the ingredients so its evenly dispersed. Once cooked through, remove from the heat and set to the side.

7. Place the capsicums in your air fryer (or oven) open side down at 200 degrees Celsius for 6 minutes until the capsicum is slightly blistered and moderately cooked through but still holds it's shape.

8. Mix in the fresh basil to the meat mix, before filling the cavity of the capsicums with the mix, and topping with the mozzarella.

9. Place back in the air fryer, cheese side up and return to 200 degrees Celsius for 4 minutes before serving.

Notes

• If you're not a fan of green capsicum - a lot aren't - just use red.

• You can mix mozzarella throughout the mix before stuffing the capsicums for a more cheesy center, or add diced Halumi cheese before stuffing it into the capsicum for a more salty alternative.

• If you prefer your meat mix more in tact, cook the recipe until step 6. Instead of adding the raw beef to the mix, mix the sautéed vegetables into the raw mince then stuff them in to the capsicums and cook on a lower temperature for about 8 minutes until cooked through. Top with mozzarella at 4 minute mark so it doesn't burn.