Turkey and Lentil Stuffed Bell Peppers with Tomato Sauce

For the tomato sauce:
Put tinned tomatoes in a bowl, then use your clean hands to crush the plum tomatoes.

Preheat a pan or sauce pot over medium heat. Add oil, then add garlic and fry for a minute. Once garlic just starts to turn light brown, add tomatoes. Turn heat down and let tomatoes simmer for 10 minutes.

Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside.

For the stuffed peppers:
Cut the tops of the bell peppers off. Cut out the middle core part that holds all the seeds to hollow out the bell peppers. Use a spoon to scoop out the remaining seeds and the white pith.

Use clean hands to mix the turkey and breadcrumbs together in a bowl.

Preheat a large pan over high heat on the stove for at least 1 minute. Add canola oil, then add ground turkey without overcrowding the pan (if you need to add the turkey in 2 batches, do so). Once turkey is nice and browned, transfer to a new clean bowl and set aside.

At this stage, preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF).

Turn heat on the pan down to about medium heat. Add a touch more oil, then add onions and fry for about 1 minute. Add garlic and fry for another 30 seconds, then add chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and let the stock bubble for a few minutes. If there are any brown bits in the bottom of the pan from frying the meat, try to use your wooden spoon to clean the bottom of the pan (all of that can give the filling a lot more flavour).

Once stock has simmered for a few minutes, add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce to the mixture and stir it through. Add turkey back into the pan, along with lentils, frozen peas, cumin, paprika and ground coriander. Mix together, then season the filling to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the turkey and lentil mixture in the hollowed bell peppers. Put the rest of tomato sauce in a deep baking dish (or something similar), then spread it out evenly. Place the filled bell peppers inside over the sauce. Put the lid on top, or if you don’t have a lid, cover with foil.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes covered. After 45 minutes, take the lid/foil off, put grated cheese on top of the stuffed peppers, and then bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.