This crossover recipe is an unusual interpretation of the stuffed bell pepper with ground beef.

Don’t be alarmed about steaming to replace baking and stuffed the ground beef raw by skipping the sauteing step.

As I always want to experiment with unique cooking methods, quashing the traditional boundaries to think out of the box, I use the Cantonese stuffed vegetable method with a tad of western elements. Worcestershire sauce, cheese topping, and finish it by broiling it in the oven.  As it turns out, it has a happy ending.

Tl;dr, it is stuffed bell pepper with ground beef and dried shitake mushroom, seasoned with soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  The peppers are steamed in the Cantonese way and served with the gravy created with the liquid released during steaming. 

Finally, I return to the western culinary tradition to top with cheese and melt it in the oven. Absolutely delicious. You get the best of both worlds from the East and West.

Let’s get into the details right away.

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1. Prepare the bell pepper’s stuffing

Ingredients 

There are two main ingredients to make up the stuffing: minced meat and mushrooms. 

• I use the store-bought ground beef with some fat. Alternatively, you may want to substitute it with chicken or pork as you wish.
• I pick dried shiitake mushrooms for the aroma and texture. First, soak the mushrooms in water until they are fully hydrated, then cut into small dice. 
• The aromatics are onion, ginger, and garlic. Coarsely chop these ingredients and sauté with some oil until fragrant. You can combine them with the meat without sautéing, but sauté them will make it tastier. 
• I also include chopped scallion to add some flavor. 

Seasonings 

The seasonings are mainly traditionally Chinese, with two less common items- Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. 

Both items blend well with the flavor of soy and oyster sauce. Worcestershire sauce is well accepted as part of the traditional Cantonese seasonings, but which I used in the lamb cutlet recipe. 

Lastly, you need to add some cornflour to bind the ingredients. 

Mix all the ingredients and seasonings in a large mixing bowl until it becomes a meat paste. Now it’s ready for the next step. 

Note: 

• This stuffed bell pepper with ground beef recipe does not need corn or cooked rice. Instead, it can be eaten or served with plain rice, as many Chinese do. 
• Button mushroom is a good choice apart from the dried shiitake mushrooms. It also offers a different texture. 

2. Stuff the bell peppers 

I prefer to cut the bell pepper into two halves since some are too big for individual servings. 

• Cut the bell pepper in half, from top to bottom. 
• Remove the seeds and the pith. 
• Stuff the meat paste into the bell pepper. Make sure to fill up the crevices.

Note:

Most stuffed bell pepper with ground beef recipes require sauteing the ground beef, but I do it differently by stuffing the raw meat paste into the bell peppers. Therefore, the beef is cooked by streaming, not baking. This is the significant difference of this stuffed bell pepper with ground beef recipe, which means you will expect a different texture and flavor from the regular stuffed bell familiar to you.  

3. Steam the stuffed bell peppers 

• Arrange the bell peppers on a steaming tray. 
• Steam over medium heat for 15 minutes. 

Note:

• I set up a steaming station with a wok and a trivet. It is very convenient to use the wok to steam, but boiling the water in the wok can damage the non-stick coating of a well-seasoned wok. Therefore, I have two woks in the kitchen, one is dedicated solely to steaming, and the other seasoned cast iron wok is only for frying. However, if you don’t have a spare wok, consider investing in a steamer set. 

4. Make the gravy 

The liquid released from the stuffed bell peppers is the essence of the beef and mushrooms. It is a waste to throw away, and hence I turn it into a gravy. 

• Collect all the liquid released after steaming. Pour it into a small pot and bring it to a boil over low heat. 
• Concentrate the liquid by boiling it for a few minutes. 
• Add half a teaspoon of dark soy sauce to darken the color. 
• Mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of cold water to form a slurry to pour it into the pot and stir well to form a gravy. 
• Do a taste test. If it is not salty enough, season it with some salt.

The color and texture of the gravy are precisely the same as the brown sauce. 

5. Broil to melt the cheese 

Now it comes to the final step, by adding some cheese as the topping. 

• Arrange the bell peppers on a baking tray. 
• Sprinkle some shredded cheese to cover the top. I pick a mix of Parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar, but you can use any cheese of your choice.
• Place the bell peppers on the uppermost rack in the preheated oven. 
• Turn on only the upper heating element to broil at 230°C/445°F for 5 minutes or until the cheese melted and started to develop some brown spots. 
• Remove and garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with the gravy.

Like stuffed bell peppers? How about other stuffed recipes? 

If you like this stuffed bell pepper with ground beef recipe, chances are you will find these related recipes interesting. Here are my picks.

Bitter melon with stuffed minced pork is a drool-worthy Cantonese dish. It is particularly delicious when served with savory black bean paste.

The cabbage roll is my favorite food made by my mother! The meat filling is wrapped inside a large piece of napa cabbage, with a thick sauce to glaze the surface before serving.

Szechuan style wonton is spicy and savory thanks to various herbs and spices in its unique dipping sauce. However, it is pretty easy to make if you use the ready-made wonton wrappers and Szechuan chili oil.