The art of making a tasty stuffing is appreciated by nearly every culture.  Whether using vegetables, meat, fish or fruit, I love the ability to cook ingredients in their natural form, filled with a medley of garnishes that both absorb and provide additional flavors to the dish.  Plus, they make a beautiful presentation!  Legumes Farcis are the ultimate example of this technique in Provençal cooking and I promise this version will not disappoint.  Feel free to use other vegetables as well such as round zucchinis, potatoes or even small varieties of squash.  Also, one of my favorite tools for scooping or seeding is a serrated  “butter curler” which you can pick up at your local kitchen supply store.

Difficulty:

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:

Farce/Stuffing:

2 med.     Onions, diced small

2 med.     Garlic cloves, germ removed and chopped

1 lb.         Ground Beef, (95% Sirloin)

1 c.           French bread, ½” cubes (60g)

2 oz.         Milk (40g)

½ c.         Breadcrumbs (60g)

100g         Chicken stock

2 Tbsp.    EVO

2 tsp.       Sea Salt

2 tsp.       Esplette

2 tsp.       Herbs de Provence

2 Tbsp.    Parsley or Basil, chopped

1 ea.         Egg yolk

Vegetables:

2 large     Bell Peppers (green and yellow)

2 large     Tomatoes

1 large     Portabello Mushroom

1 small    Baby Eggplant

2 Tbsp.   EVO

               Sea Salt and Pepper

Technique:

•Preheat oven to 350˚F.

•Wash vegetables, cut off tops and scoop out interiors using a sharp spoon or butter curler.  For the mushroom, remove stem and black ‘gills’ underneath.

•Season peppers, eggplant and mushroom with EVO, salt & pepper and roast in an oven-proof dish for 25 minutes, turning half way through.  (Do not pre-cook tomatoes)

•In a large, heavy bottomed pan, sweat onions and garlic on medium high for 5-7 minutes until translucent. 

•Add beef and dry seasonings.  Continue to cook for 5-7 more minutes.

•Allow diced bread to soak in milk, then add to the farce with the breadcrumbs, chicken stock and EVO.  Cook 5 minutes, check seasoning and turn off heat.

•Stuff the vegetables evenly with the farce, tent with foil (½” above food) and return to the oven for 25 minutes. 

•Remove foil, and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes. 

1. •Drizzle with EVO and serve hot or at room temperature.