Delicious Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Bell Peppers (Print version)

Sweet bell peppers filled with crab, shrimp, rice, herbs, and cheese, then baked until tender and golden.

# Ingredients:

For the peppers

01 - 4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the seafood filling

05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
06 - 1/2 cup (75 g) finely diced yellow onion
07 - 1/3 cup (35 g) finely diced celery
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 8 oz (225 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
10 - 1 cup (170 g) cooked white rice
11 - 1/2 cup (35 g) panko breadcrumbs
12 - 8 oz (225 g) lump crab meat, drained and picked over
13 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
16 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

For topping

18 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
19 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the oven to 375°F. Place the pepper halves cut-side up in a lightly oiled baking dish. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
02 - Bake the empty pepper halves for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling. This softens them slightly without making them collapse.
03 - Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until the shrimp turns pink.
04 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in rice, panko, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay, paprika, and parsley. Fold in the crab meat gently so some pieces stay intact.
05 - Spoon the filling into the pepper halves. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the filling is hot and the peppers are tender.
06 - Uncover, sprinkle with Monterey Jack, and bake for 7-10 minutes more until the cheese melts and the edges are lightly golden. Rest 5 minutes, then serve with parsley and lemon wedges.

# Good to know:

01 - Use cooked rice, not raw rice, because the filling only bakes long enough to heat through.
02 - Drain crab meat well before mixing so the filling stays firm.
03 - Best served warm after a 5 minute rest.

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