Stuffed Peppers With Porcini And Aged Gouda - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 ounce dried porcini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, 4 -6 ounces, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound spinach
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
6 bell peppers, about 2 pounds
11/2 cups grated aged Gouda

Preparation

Put the porcini in a bowl, cover them with 1/2 cup warm water and let them steep.
After 15 check to seek that they're soft (if not, let them continue steeping). Carefully remove the mushrooms without disturbing the layer of grit that will have settled to the bottom of the bowl, leaving the steeping liquid in the bowl. Inspect the porcini closely to be sure all the dirt has soaked off. When in doubt, rinse the mushrooms under warm water.
Chop fine. Let the soaking water sit for a minute to allow any remaining grit to sink to the bottom of the bowl, then carefully pour the porcini infused liquid into a clean bowl leaving the grit behind.
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 6 minutes, or until they're tender, translucent and just starting to change color.
Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until aromatic, about a minute. Stir in the the fresh and dried mushrooms, cover and cook 3 minutes or until you hear the juices start to sizzle.
Remove the lid, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking everything until the muchrooms have seared and turned golden brown, another 3 minutes or so. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon now and then to keep the mixture from sticking. Add the strained porcini liquid, tomatoes and sugar and cook 5 minutes. Add the spinach, toss a few times and cook until wilted. Add the rice and thyme and toss in the pan until everything is heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
Heat oven to 400\u00b0F.
Cut 1/4-inch off the tops of the peppers. Scoop out the seeds and ribs. Season the inside of the peppers with salt and pepper. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture. Stand them upright in a snug fitting deep-dish pan.
Add a 1/4-inch of water to the pan and then cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. The peppers should be tender. Top with the remaining cheese and cook 5 minutes to melt & brown