Gemista with Minced Meat (Greek Stuffed Vegetables)

• 180 g Long-grain white rice
• 6 medium Tomato, ripe but firm
• 4 medium Green pepper
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 90 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 350 g Minced beef
• 20 g Fresh parsley
• 10 g Fresh mint
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 3 medium Idaho potato
• 350 ml Water

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
2. Cut a lid from the top of each tomato and scoop out the flesh into a bowl, keeping the shells intact. Cut lids from the peppers, remove the seeds and pith, and set the vegetables and their lids aside.
3. Grate the onion into the bowl with the tomato flesh, then crush in the garlic. Stir in 60 ml of the olive oil, the salt and black pepper.
4. Warm a frying pan over medium heat and cook the minced beef until it loses its pink colour, breaking it up as you go. Tip it into the bowl, then add the rice.
5. Finely chop the fresh parsley and fresh mint, then stir them through the filling. Taste and adjust with a little more salt and pepper if needed.
6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges. Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish, then nestle the tomatoes and peppers among them.
7. Spoon the filling into the tomatoes and peppers, packing it lightly, and leave about 1 cm at the top for the rice to expand. Put the lids back on, then drizzle the remaining 30 ml olive oil over the vegetables and potatoes.
8. Pour the water into the baking dish around the vegetables. Bake for 70 minutes, basting once or twice with the pan juices, until the vegetables are tender and the rice is cooked through.
9. Rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle, then spoon the pan sauce over the gemista and potatoes to serve. If the tray looks dry at any point, add a small splash of water and continue baking.

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