Ingredients
- 6 red bell peppers, tops sliced off and seeded
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts
- 2 Tbsp. currants, soaked in hot water
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 cup water, divided
- 2½ cups cooked barley
- Pepper to taste
- ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped mint
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Lemon wedges
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Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide saucepan or lidded skillet. Add onion and pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and beginning to color (5-8 minutes). Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Stir in the currants, cinnamon, allspice, and sugar. Add ½ cup water and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated (5-6 minutes). Add barley and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs.
- Stuff the peppers with the barley mixture. Stand the peppers in a wide, lidded pan. Mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup water, and lemon juice, and pour around the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cover the pan. Simmer on medium-low, adding water as needed, until the peppers are very tender and there is just a small amount of liquid left (40-50 minutes). Garnish with lemon wedges to serve.