Tuna-Stuffed Peppers

Tuna-Stuffed Peppers

These tuna-stuffed peppers are ubiquitous in delis all over Susa, Italy.

From EatingWell: September/October 2008
Yield: about 2 dozen stuffed peppers
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  1. 24 whole jarred mild or sweet cherry peppers, (from 2 16-ounce jars; see Shopping Tip)
  2. 1 6-ounce can chunk light tuna packed in water, drained well (see Note)
  3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  4. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  5. 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and finely chopped
  6. 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
  7. Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  8. 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Preparation

  1. Select 24 whole peppers. (Refrigerate any remaining peppers in a jar, with brine to cover, for another use.) Cut off and discard the pepper stems. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon (a measuring teaspoon works well). Rinse the peppers to remove any residual seeds, and set in a colander to drain.
  2. Combine tuna, lemon juice, oil, capers and anchovies (if using) in a medium bowl.
  3. Fill each pepper with about 1 teaspoon of the tuna mixture and place them on a serving plate. (Depending on the size of the peppers, you may not fill all 24.) Grind some pepper over the stuffed peppers.
  4. Bring vinegar to a boil in a very small saucepan and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 2 teaspoons, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Drizzle the syrup over the peppers.

Tips & Notes

  1. Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate stuffed peppers and balsamic syrup separately for up to 4 hours. Drizzle the peppers with the syrup just before serving.
  2. Shopping tip: Look for red and/or green jarred mild (or sweet) cherry peppers near pickles and olives or at the “olive bar” in well-stocked supermarkets and specialty-food stores.
  3. Note: Chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller skipjack or yellowfin, has less mercury than canned white albacore tuna. The FDA/EPA advises that women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children consume no more than 6 ounces of albacore a week; up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna is considered safe.

Nutrition

Nutrition Per Serving: 42 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 293 mg sodium; 6 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus:

Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 lean meat