Recipes

Crab-stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

This easy-to-make grilled appetizer is sure to delight. These miniature peppers taste sweeter and fruitier than a bell pepper, and they take beautifully to the magic of a hot grill. We’ve stuffed them with a simple-but-flavorful mixture of lump crabmeat, fontina cheese, bread crumbs, lemon zest and parsley.

By Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Serves 8
Image of Crab-stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
Ingredients
Directions

Ingredients
  • 1 cup finely grated fontina cheese, about 4 ounces
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, about 2 ounces
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 pound cooked jumbo lump crabmeat
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 lemons
  • 16 mini sweet peppers
Directions

To make the crab filling, combine the grated cheeses, sour cream, parsley, panko, crabmeat and salt in a bowl. Crush the garlic and finely grate the zest of one lemon into the bowl. Stir to combine.

Use a paring knife to cut out the end of each pepper and discard the stem. Use the handle of a small teaspoon to remove the ribs inside each pepper, taking care not to damage the fruit. Use your fingers to gently fill each pepper with crab filling.

Prepare the grill for direct grilling over a medium-hot fire. We recommend a charcoal fire for extra flavor.

Cut the remaining lemon and grill with the cut-side facing down on the grill grate. Grill the stuffed peppers over the fire. Turn occasionally until the filling is heated through, and the peppers are nicely marked, about 8 minutes.

Serve hot on a platter with the grilled lemon halves for guests to squeeze for a bright citrus finish.