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Serves: 6 portions
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Overall Duration: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Components
2 tbsp.
olive oil, along with additional oil for greasing the baking dish
1
chopped medium yellow onion
1
red bell pepper, diced into 1-inch chunks
1
green bell pepper, diced into 1-inch chunks
1 lb.
ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat)
2 tbsp.
tomato puree
1 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
1 tsp.
cumin powder
1 tsp.
paprika
1/2 tsp.
black peppercorns
4
finely minced garlic cloves
4
freshly harvested tomatoes, diced
1
large zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise and then sliced
2 c.
chicken stock
1 c.
long-grain white rice
1/4 c.
chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, with extra for garnishing
1 tbsp.
Worcestershire sauce
2 c.
grated pepper jack cheese (approximately 8 ounces)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-to-3-quart baking dish with oil.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is cooked through and browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, salt, cumin, paprika, black peppercorns, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the chicken stock, rice, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 cup of the cheese. Remove from heat and spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the foil and stir the casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Increase the oven to broil.
Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before sprinkling with more parsley and serving.
