Chef John's Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 1 cup beef broth 
• 1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 10 ounce canned tomatoes diced canned
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 4 large bell pepper green halved seeded
• 1 pinch ground pepper 
• 1 pound ground beef lean
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1  onion diced
• 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese finely grated
• 0.3 cup parsley fresh italian chopped
• 0.3 pound pork sausage italian hot
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper flakes red crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 2 cups tomato sauce 
• 2 cups water 
• 1 cup rice long grain white uncooked

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• baking pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside.
3. Cook onion and olive oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer half of cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside.
5. Stir tomato sauce, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes into the skillet; cook and stir for 1 minute.
6. Pour tomato sauce mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
7. Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, Italian parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into bowl with reserved onions; mix well. Stir in cooked rice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stuff green bell peppers with beef and sausage mixture.
8. Place stuffed green bell pepper halves in the baking dish over tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
9. Remove aluminum foil and bake until the meat is no longer pink, the green peppers are tender and the cheese is browned on top, an addition 20 to 25 minutes.