Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers (Yemista)

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup butter 
• 1 clove garlic minced to taste
• 4 large bell peppers green
• 2 pounds ground beef chuck 
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper black
• 0.5 cup olive oil 
• 1  onion diced
• 1.5 cups converted rice (parboiled) (such as Uncle Ben's®)
• 1 tablespoon lawry's seasoned salt 
• 2 tablespoons soya sauce 
• 8 large tomatoes ripe
• 0.5 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan

Directions

1. Cut off tops of tomatoes, leaving 1 corner still attached to create a lid. Scoop insides of tomatoes and transfer 'meat' to a large bowl; squeeze juices out of tomatoes.
2. Cut off tops of green peppers and reserve for later use; scoop out seeds and membranes. Arrange tomatoes and bell peppers in a 11x17-inch baking dish.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in the melted butter until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Add ground chuck, soy sauce, seasoned salt, and black pepper to onion mixture; cook until ground chuck is browned and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Mix squeezed tomato meat and water into browned chuck; bring to a simmer, about 15 minutes.
7. Add rice and bring to a boil; remove skillet from heat. Spoon beef-rice mixture into tomatoes; place tops onto filled tomatoes and arrange them into the baking dish with lid sides down.
8. Stuff bell peppers with beef-rice mixture and top with reserved lids; lay bell peppers sideways in the baking dish.
9. Pour olive oil over stuffed tomatoes and bell peppers; season with salt and pepper.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn bell peppers and continue baking until bell peppers and tomatoes are softened, about 30 more minutes.