By Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser | January 29 Harissa Stuffed Bell Peppers Active: 30 mins Total: 45 mins Servings: 4 (makes 8 halves) Have you seen the documentary series “Chef's Table”? There's an episode that instantly becomes a dinner table conversation topic after you watch it, I's the one about fire. “The episode starts with a shot of grotesquely large skewers sizzling over a blazing fire. And as the story unfolds, Argentine chet Franeis Mallmann transforms anything he can get his hands on to a blackened erisp. Whether large chunks of bread or delicate fish ‘wrapped in clay, Mallmann uses fire to bring out charred beauty in everything he touches. By the end of the episode, it's all you can do not to dig a hole in your backyard and dump in smoldering coals and a truckload of veggies just to see what happens. Fire transforms, It changes raw ingredients into something innately more satisfying, Humans have been cooking over flames for ages — it’s no wonder mouths start to water at the sight of grill marks. In this recipe, we're using fire (indoor fire, but fire nonetheless!) to take a humble ingredient and transform it into a plant-forward. ‘meal fit fora full table. (One quick way to add a fire-y tinge to your peppers: Broil them. ‘These crowd-pleasing peppers are broiled; then stuffed with a hearty filling of whole-grain bulgur wheat, beans, kale and stretchy Muenster cheese; then roasted. Fennel seed evokes Ttalian sausage, and the filling is dolloped with harissa, a vibrant red North Aftican chile pepper paste. Make Ahead: The finished recipe can be refrigerated overnight; the flavor is even better the second day. Reheat at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the peppers are heated through. ‘Where to Buy: Jarred harissa can be found in the international aisle or near the condiments; you can also find it online. This recipe calls for mild harissa: use regular harissa if you prefer a kick; also see related recipe (listed below). Bulgur wheat varies in ‘cook time based on the type of wheat and the way it was processed. Ifthe package is labeled, choose a medium grind. Check the package directions for cooking and pick one that cooks in 15 minutes. This recipe is from Week 9 of Voraciously’s Plant Powered newsletter series. For more recipes like tis one, and for tips and tricks to help you put more vegetables on your plate, sign up for the newsletter here. Seale and get a printer-friendly version of the recipe here.Ingredients, +11/4 cups bulgur wheat (see headnote) +11/4 cups boiling water + 4 large red or yellow bell peppers with stems, cut in half from top to bottom (seeded, ribs removed) + 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed + Freshly ground black pepper + tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + 3 doves garlic, minced + medium shallot, thinly sliced + 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed +1/2 teaspoon ground cumin + teaspoon dried thyme + One 15-ounce can low-sodium Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed +1/2.cup packed chopped Tuscan kale (from about 2 large leaves) + 5 ounces Muenster cheese, cut into 1/4-inch eubes ( eup) +1/4 cup chopped, unsalted roasted pistachios, for garnish + 1/2 cup mild harissa, for garnish (jarred; see headnote and related recipe) Step1 Start by prepping the bulgur: Place it in a heatproof bow! and pour the boiling water over it. Allow to itt stand for about 15, ‘minutes, until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender. it’s not tender by that point, continue to let it stand until all water is absorbed, Step 2Next, you'l broil the peppers before stuffing them. Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element, and preheat the broiler to high. Place the peppers on baking sheet, cut sides down, and broil them for 5 minutes. Flip the peppers, then broil for § to ‘7 minutes more, until they are just starting to blacken. Step 3 Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and drain any excess liquid from the peppers (you'll se they've shred quite a bit of water) Sprinkle each pepper lightly with salt and black pepper, Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Step 4 Once the bulgur is done, finish the filling: Heat the oil until shimmering in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, fennel seed, cumin and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the bulgur, beans, kale, the 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper; cook until the kale has wilted, about 1 minute, Add the cheese cubes, stiring until they are just melted. Remove from the heat, taste and season with a few pinches of sat, as needed. Step 5 Divide the bulgur filling among the charred peppers; mounding it is okay. Cover the baking sheet loosely with aluminum foil. Roast Step 6 ‘Top each stuffed pepper half wth pistachios, then dollop with harissa (take a taste ofthe harissa before dlloping to assess the spice level). Serve warn From Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser of ACoupleCooks.com. Tested by Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser; email questions to voraciously @washpost.com. Scale and get a printer-friendly version ofthe recipe here. Did you make this reeipe? Take a photo and tag us on Instagram with #eatworaciously Sign up for Voraciously’s Plant Powered newsletter here. More recipes from Voraciously Toow to roast peppers ~ the unsung heroes of your produce bin Ifyou love your vegetables, these plant-based dinner recipes are for youGet Voraciously’s Plant Powered newsletter and start cooking the way you want to Nutrition Calories: 530; Total Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Sodium: 710 mg; Carbohydrates: 77 g; Dietary Fiber: 14 Sugars: 6 g; Protein: 25 g.