Crawfish-and-Rice-Stuffed Peppers
 
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 medium assorted bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • ¼ pound center-cut bacon, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups cooked long-grain rice
  • ¾ pound crawfish tails, drained and rinsed
  • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1½ teaspoons Creole seasoning*
  • ½ cup water
  • Garnish: fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place bell pepper halves in a 13×9-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon, and let drain on paper towels; pour drippings into a small bowl.
  3. Return 1 tablespoon drippings to skillet. Add celery; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in bacon, rice, crawfish, thyme, and Creole seasoning. Divide rice mixture among bell pepper halves (about 1 cup each); drizzle with 1 tablespoon bacon drippings. Pour ½ cup water in bottom of pan. Cover with foil.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until peppers are tender and stuffing is heated through, 8 to 10 minutes more. Garnish with thyme, if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/crawfish-rice-stuffed-peppers/