Schnecken

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Snails" or schnecken were a delight of my childhood. Our German and Swedish neighbors, Hannie and Mrs. P, both made them on regular basis. One made them in crescent form, the other shaped them as snails. While they look like sticky buns to the untrained eye, they are really more like a rugelach or crisp Danish. Yes, they're a bother to make, but I promise you'll find them to be worth every second you'll spend on them. I've just finished making a squirrel's stash of them for breakfasts while my family is here. I have two recipes for schnecken and both of them are delicious. Over time, I've settled on a dough that can be used for both types. It simplifies things a bit. I am going to provide two types of filling and two types of topping and let you select which you would prefer to use. One filling is made with almond paste, the other with cinnamon and sugar. I use a streusel topping for the almond filled buns and a nut topping for the others. Lest any of you think Bob and I always walk in lockstep, I love the almond-streusel buns while he prefers the more traditional cinnamon and nut topping. These rolls are not meant for folks new to yeast doughs, even old hands will need a goodly measure of patience to handle the wait times involved in this recipe. I shape my schnecken in snail form because I find that shape the easiest to work with. If you try these, I know you'll love them. It's like visiting a Viennese pastry shop in the comfort of your own kitchen. Here's the recipe.

Schnecken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by a recipe in the New York Times

Ingredients:
Dough
1/2 cup whole milk
1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
Almond Filling
2 ounces almond paste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm
Glaze for Streusel Topping
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Pecan Topping
Topping:
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
1) To make the dough: Heat milk in a small saucepan until bubbles form around edges. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over milk, stir and let stand 5 minutes. Crack eggs into mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in sugar and flour with a wooden spoon. Knead ingredients together in bowl until scrappy dough forms. Turn dough onto counter and knead briefly. Turn mixing bowl over dough and rest 20 minutes.
2) While dough rests, place 12 tablespoons butter and salt in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and beat until fluffy, pausing once to scrape down bowl, 30 seconds. Set aside.
3) Knead dough until smooth, 5 minutes. Pull into sections and add to mixer bowl with butter. Mix on medium speed until butter is mostly incorporated, scraping down bowl as necessary, about 3 minutes. Transfer dough with a plastic scraper or a spatula to counter. Work by hand, using short, pulling motions, until dough is smooth but still very soft, about 20 minutes. Shape dough into a round and place in a clean mixing bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Rise at cool room temperature until spongy, 4 to 5 hours.
4) Sprinkle counter lightly with flour. Press fist into center of dough and deflate gently. Gather dough up and place on floured counter. Sprinkle top of dough lightly with flour and press into rectangle 10 inches wide by 14 inches long. Fold top third of dough down to center and bottom third up to cover it. Pinch edges to seal. Rotate dough on countertop one-quarter turn to the right so that it resembles a closed book. Press and stretch dough into rectangle 6 inches wide by 10 inches long. Repeat stretching and folding until dough resembles closed book 4 inches wide by 6 inches long. Press edges to seal. Sprinkle lightly on both sides with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5) To make almond filling: Combine almond paste, butter, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt and extracts in a food processor bowl and process until smooth, pausing once to scrape down bowl, about 1 minute. Add egg yolk and process until smooth. Transfer filling to a small bowl, cover well and refrigerate until 30 minutes before using.
6) To make cinnamon and sugar filling: Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt butter but do not mix with sugar.
7) To make streusel topping: Combine ingredients in a small bowl and fluff with fork until combined. Squeeze streusel between fingers to create pieces of varying size. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
8) To make pecan topping: In a 1-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, honey and corn syrup over low heat; stir until sugar and butter are melted. Set aside.
9) To shape dough: Remove almond filling and dough from refrigerator. Sprinkle counter and top of dough lightly with flour, and whack dough with a rolling pin to flatten it. Roll dough evenly into a 20-inch square. Continue to loosen from counter and roll until dough relaxes, using as little flour as possible.
10) To fill with almond filling: Spread almond filling evenly over dough. Trim edges with a bench scraper or a chef's knife. Roll dough tightly and evenly from bottom, jellyroll-style. You should have a cylinder 18 inches long and about 4 inches in diameter. Transfer jellyroll to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate 20 minutes.
11) To fill with cinnamon-sugar: Brush dough with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon- sugar mixture. Roll dough tightly and evenly from bottom, jellyroll-style. You should have a cylinder 18 inches long and about 4 inches in diameter. Transfer jellyroll to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate 20 minutes.
12) To apply streusel topping: Remove jellyroll from refrigerator and slice into 20 1/2-inch rounds with an electric knife or a sharp serrated knife. Transfer 10 rounds each to 2 11 -1/2 x 17-inch parchment-lined sheet pans. Spray surface lightly with water. Sprinkle generously with streusel, pressing streusel into surface. Cover schnecken lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until light and spongy, about 90 minutes.
13) To apply pecan topping: Pour pecan topping into a greased 11-1/2 x 17-inch pan and sprinkle with pecans. Remove jellyroll from refrigerator and slice into 20 1/2-inch rounds with an electric knife or a sharp serrated knife. Transfer to pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until light and spongy, about 90 minutes.
14) Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a shallow pan on bottom of oven and pour boiling water into pan. Bake schnecken one sheet pan at a time. After 5 minutes, lower oven to 350 and bake until nicely risen and deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Pecan rolls may need more baking time.
15) If you are using streusel topping, whisk powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons hot water in a small bowl to make glaze while rolls are baking. Remove sheet pan from oven and brush schnecken lightly with glaze. Transfer schnecken to a cooling rack. Bake second sheet pan as you did the first.
16) If you are using the pecan topping, remove sheet pan from oven and immediately invert onto a serving plate.
17) Regardless of topping, this recipe makes 20 4-inch schnecken.

Cook's Note: Pecan schnecken can be also be baked in large-size muffin pans.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Cheese Buns - One Perfect Bite
St. Lucia Buns - One Pefect Bite
Cinnamon Rolls - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry Cream Cheese Rolls - Inspired2Cook
Pumpkin Five Spice Sweet Rolls -Coconut and Lime
Pan de Mallorca Mallorcan Sweet Rolls - Always Order Dessert

Moules Mariniere - Blue Mussels - Blue Monday

Blue Mussels

This photo courtesy of Andreas Trepte

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely dish is another that comes from the French peasant kitchen and it is one for which I have a special fondness. Julia Child introduced Bob and I to moules mariniere the year our eldest daughter was born. At that time mussels had no cache and could only be found in ethnic markets where they sold for pennies on the dollar. The first time I made this dish I bought three pounds of mussels for a dollar. That same quantity cost fifteen dollars this afternoon. Once the mussels have been cleaned and purged of sand, the dish can be on the table in ten minutes. Fortunately, most of the mussels available in the supermarket today are farmed and not harvested in the wild. That makes the task of cleaning them much easier. Farmed mussels need to be scrubbed before being debearded and set to soak. The "beard" is the fibrous hairy thing hanging from one side of the shell. Pull it off with a side-to-side motion. Most experts recommend soaking mussels for about an hour to assure they will disgorge their sand. Should you have wild mussels, add 1/4 cup of flour to a container of salted water and allow the mussels to soak for two to three hours before cooking. The thought here is that the mussels will eat the flour and purge themselves of debris, as well as plump up. Discard any mussels that refuse to close when pressed. Nowadays, it's also important to know where your mussels have come from. Be sure to ask. I use a really good dry French vermouth to make this dish. There are three that I can recommend to you. My preference is Dolin, but Lille and Noilly Prat also work well. This makes for a lovely light supper. I served ours with a romaine and watercress salad and a crusty baguette to help mop up the sauce. Our meal ended with a warm lemon pudding. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. You won't regret it. Here's how I make moules mariniere. Bon appetit.

Moules Mariniere...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely minced shallots
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 cup dry white French vermouth or 1 cup dry white wine
1/2 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 pounds scrubbed, soaked mussels
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a 6 to 8-quart stockpot set over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vermouth or wine and stir in bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
2) Add mussels to pan. Cover and boil over high heat for 5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally to redistribute mussels and assure even cooking.
3) Transfer mussels to a large serving bowl or to shallow soup bowls. Ladle cooking liquid over mussels, sprinkle with parsley and serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

This recipe was featured in the Food News Journal Best of the Bogs feature on August 2, 2010.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Coconut Curry Mussels - Simply Recipes
Cedar Planked Mussels - Steamy Kitchen
Steamed Mussels with Coconut Milk and Thai Chiles - Food and Wine
Mussels in Red Chili Sauce - Rasamalaysia
Salmon Soup with Tomato and Dill - One Perfect Bite
Spring Salmon and Leek Soup - One Perfect Bite
Salmon Chowder - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Watermelon Limeade - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I spent some time today perusing new cook books in our library. I found Emeril Lagasse's latest book, Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh and brought it home with me. I've not always been a fan of his, and it's only in the past few years that I've come to appreciate the work he does. I never doubted his ability as a chef or business man, but his antics as a showman made me uncomfortable and I tuned him out. Then, in the final episode of the first America's Next Food Network Star, I saw him perform an act of kindness that changed my mind about the man. When the winner was announced, everyone, save Emeril, swarmed around the couple who had won. The loser, who had obviously not been told what to do should she lose, just stood there, stunned, and unfortunately the cameras stayed trained on her. Emeril came to the aid of the visibly shaken young woman and gave her a squeeze, distracting her until she regained her composure. He was genuinely sympathetic and I became more interested in the man and his cooking after that. Who knew? The guy's a mensch. This wonderful version of limeade is in his new book and I can attest to how good it is. It's very easy to prepare and, while this version of the recipe contains no alcohol, this, mixed with white tequila, has the makings of a fabulous margarita. If you don't feel like cutting watermelon, the watermelon juice that's available in supermarkets will also work in this recipe. That juice, by the way, makes wonderful ice cubes, as well as popsicles for the kids. This is a lovely new take on classic limeade. I think you'll love this. Here's the recipe.

Watermelon Limeade...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Emeril LaGasse

Ingredients:
8 cups cubed watermelon (seedless), or 1 quart watermelon juice
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup sugar, or more to taste
Lime slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1) Place half of watermelon cubes in a blender and process until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl; discard solids. Repeat with remaining watermelon cubes. You should end up with about 1 quart of watermelon juice.
2) Add lime juice and sugar to watermelon juice, and stir until sugar has dissolved. Taste, and add more sugar if necessary. Transfer limeade to a nonreactive pitcher and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
3) Serve over ice in tumblers, with lime slices for garnish. Yield: 5 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Homemade Ginger Ale - One Perfect Bite
Limeade Concentrate - One Perfect Bite
Watermelon Smoothie - One Perfect Bite
Iced Coffee Recipes - Yummy
Pineapple Limeade - Real Mom Kitchen
Coconut Iced Tea and Coffee - Jenn Cuisine

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Beginner's Whole Wheat Batter Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the first yeast bread I was taught to make. I was twelve years old at the time and learned this technique in the kitchen of a neighbor. It is a perfect beginners bread because it truly can't fail, though it does require a stand mixer or a very strong arm to make that miracle happen. This recipe makes a very wet dough that is not kneaded or shaped into loaves. The mixer does all the work. The shaggy dough is dropped into a bread pan and you can, if you wish, smooth the top a bit. Times have changed. When I first made this bread the whole wheat flour on the grocer's shelves was still called graham flour and yeast came in small cakes. I clearly remember we had to use molasses as a sweetener because honey was not yet generally available to folks living in the city. This bread has surprising flavor, a wonderful crumb and it makes great sandwiches. It can also handle the addition of nuts or seeds if you like them in your bread. It stays fresh for several days if it is wrapped and kept at room temperature. If you are new to bread baking, or have a young daughter who is interested in learning how to make bread, this is a wonderful starter recipe. It makes a lovely bread and those of you who try it will be pleased with the loaf you produce. Here's the recipe.

Beginner's Whole Wheat Batter Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups warm water
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey or molasses
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons room temperature butter

Directions:
1) Place water in bowl of an electric mixer. Add yeast and honey or molasses. Stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2) Set mixer to low speed. Beat in 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, salt and butter. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping sides as needed. Reduce speed to low to add reserved 1 cup whole wheat and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Beat just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3) Stir dough down by beating for 25 strokes with a wooden spoon. Spread dough into a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch bread pan. Cover loosely with a flour rubbed dish towel and let rise until dough rises to top of pan, about 1 hour. A floured towel is used to prevent dough from sticking to it. Do not use plastic wrap. Dough will stick to it and deflate when wrap is removed.
4) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake bread in center of oven until it is browned and sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 25 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Blueberry and Lemon Batter Bread - One Perfect Bite
Stout Batter Bread - How to Eat A Cupcake
Four Grain Batter Bread - Safely Gathered In
Old Virginia Batter Bread - Foodista
English Muffin Batter Bread - Baking Bites
Whole Grain Oat-Wheat Batter Bread - More Than Tofu
Parmesan Herb Batter Bread - Adventures with the Woods

Curried Egg Salad

Today's featured recipe....




and the day's distraction.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...How many people are needed to take a good photograph of curried egg salad? Obviously, more than are in our home. We really did try, but this was the best of the worst photos. I just couldn't overcome the muddy cast the curry shed on the egg salad. The photo of our youngest grandsons, who will be visiting in August, is a ruse designed to draw your eye away from the delicious, but unphotogenic, sandwich filling. I've been experimenting with making my own curry powder since I learned we'd be traveling to India this fall. Once I had a powder Bob and I both liked, I needed to test it in recipes where it could be used. Egg salad was the simplest and most logical place to start. This salad is mildly spiced and has a really smooth and creamy texture that is pleasing to the tongue. That last is food gibberish that means it is pleasant and tastes good. It receives additional flavor from the juice and pulp of a small shredded onion, and it is delicious spread on a grainy bread. More finely chopped, it would also be perfect for crustless tea sandwiches. I like to make and refrigerate the salad about an hour before I plan to serve it. That gives the flavors an opportunity to blend while the salad chills. This is a very simple recipe that is dependent on the quality of the ingredients used to assemble it. I recommend the use of a mild curry powder and a good mayonnaise. When I don't make my own mayonnaise, I use the reduced fat brand that is sold at Trader Joe's. If you love egg salad as much as I do, I know you'll love this one. Here's the recipe.

Curried Egg Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
8 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated suga
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 drops hot pepper sauce (i.e. Tabasco)Tabasco sauce
1 small onion, grated to yield 2 tablespoons puree
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine chopped eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper. hot pepper sauce, onion puree and parsley in a large bowl. Mix well. Cover and chill until shortly before serving time. Yield: 8 sandwich size servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Piperada Bocadillo - One Perfect Bite
Tuna Salad Sandwiches - Sea Salt with Food
Cherry Walnut Chicken Salad - Amy's Diner
Ribbon Sandwiches - My Delicious Blog
Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich - Life's Ambrosia
Apricot and Lavender Chicken Salad - Karista's Kitchen
Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich - Tasty Easy Healthy Green

Israeli Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was introduced to this salad in a tourist hotel that sat at the edge of a hutong in Bejing, China. A group of Israeli tourists was also staying at the hotel and most mornings I'd have breakfast with them. I'm a very early riser and would sneak to the dining room for a cup of coffee rather than disturb Bob with my restlessness. It bothered these kind folks to see me sitting by myself and they insisted I join them at their table. Breakfast in a Chinese tourist hotel is a multicultural affair that features food, usually served buffet style, that will appeal to all the groups who are guests of the hotel. My friends, although not worried about keeping kosher, had a separate dining area with an array of food that centered on salads and other foods our hosts thought more typical of an Israeli or Mediterranean diet. My companions would gather various vegetable elements from the buffet and bring them back to the table where they were tossed with chopsticks and dressed with fresh lemon and whatever oil was available. Though not accustomed to salad at six in the morning, I was charmed into sharing theirs for the duration of my stay. Although there is some chopping involved, the salad is very easy to assemble and it's perfect for a summer meal when tomatoes and cucumbers are abundant. If you haven't had this salad, I hope you will give it a try. While the salad is delicious, it does not keep well, so dress it just before serving and make no more than you will use in one sitting. Here's how it's made.

Israeli Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large green bell pepper
3 (6-to 8-ounce) tomatoes, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted, quartered
2/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1) Char pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened. Enclose in plastic bag 15 minutes. Peel, seed, and cut pepper into 1/3-inch cubes. Place in large bowl.
2) Add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, and parsley. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper, then mix into vegetables. Let vegetables marinate at least 15 minutes but not more than 3 hours before serving. Cover and chill. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mediterranean Orzo Salad - Andrea Meyers
Summer Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Basil Vinaigrette and Herbs - Kalyn's Kitchen
Strawberry Tomato Salad with Balsamic - Jungle Frog Cooking
Israeli Salad - Phoo-d
The Quintessential Salad - Nosh and Tell
Cherry Tomato Salad - Tastes Like Home

Red Peppers Stuffed with Orzo and Feta Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our weather continues to be uncharacteristically warm and Bob has been uncharacteristically hungry. Despite the heat, he's been felling trees and that kind of work demands calories to stoke the fire. I decided to do a mini Mediterranean feast for his supper tonight. I pan grilled double cut lamb chops and served them with an Israeli salad and orzo stuffed peppers that are reminiscent of those served in the Greek isles. The peppers are lovely and add great color to the table. While they take time to cook, they are really easy to do and they are a relative bargain at this time of year. I can't help but add they would also be wonderful entree for Meatless Monday. Sweet peppers are slowly making their way to our green markets and in another month we'll be able to buy them four to the dollar. Even now they are a bargain when compared to their winter prices. I had six gorgeous bright red bell peppers that needed attention and this dish was a perfect way to enjoy their luscious summer flavor. The recipe on which the peppers are based was developed by Gordon Hamersley for Fine Cooking Magazine over a decade ago. I keep very few recipes for that length of time, so you know in my book it's a keeper. This is one of those recipes I play with. I suspect you will to. There are times I add pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes to the mix, and others where green olives, raisins and orange zest best suit my fancy of the day. Now, I don't mean to shock you, but I've even been known to follow the recipe exactly as it's was written. If you don't have or like kale, substitute spinach or arugula. If you can't use wine, use water or vegetable stock. I use a white French vermouth to make mine, hearkening back to the days when Julia Child suggested using a good vermouth in place of a mediocre white wine for cooking. I really hope you'll try the peppers. You really can't go wrong. Here's the recipe.

Red Peppers Stuffed with Orzo and Feta Cheese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Gordon Hamersley

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 medium red onion, cut into large dice
2-1/2 ounces kale, washed and torn into bite-size pieces (2 cups lightly packed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-2/3 cups cooked orzo, cooled (from 3/4 cup raw orzo)
Grated zest from 1/2 lemon
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1/4 pound feta cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
8 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
6 medium red bell peppers
1-1/2 cups dry white wine or water

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until moderately hot. Add red onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes.. Add kale and cook, stirring often, until wilted and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2) Combine onion and kale with the orzo, lemon zest, lemon juice, feta cheese, oregano, thyme, parsley, and olives in a large bowl. Toss gently until combined and season with salt and pepper.
3) Slice off top 1/2 inch of each pepper and reserve. With a paring knife, cut away ribs and discard. Turn pepper upside down and pat it to get all the seeds to fall out. Divide orzo filling among peppers. Replace top of each pepper.
4) Place peppers in a medium baking dish and sprinkle them with reserved 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season again with salt and pepper. Pour wine in pan. Bake until peppers are very tender and slightly blackened on top, about 1-1/2 hours. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Stuffed Green Peppers: Healthy and Delicious - Zesty Flavors
Stuffed Peppers - I Eat Trees
Classic Stuffed Peppers - What's Cookin Chicago
Indian Stuffed Bell Peppers - Sugar Pies
Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers - Elle's New England Kitchen
Blast of Color Mexican Stuffed Peppers - Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right