BACON, ARTISAN BREAD, TOMATOES, AND CHEDDAR COME together for a fabulously easy filling for garden-fresh bell peppers. When you add a little wood to the fire, it gives these peppers the taste of centuries-old hearth cooking.
SERVES 4
1 cup wood chips or dry wood pellets
4 medium red, yellow, orange, and purple bell peppers (any assortment), stemmed and seeded
8 slices apple-or hickory-smoked bacon, diced
1 bunch green onion, chopped
2 cups cubed artisan bread, such as ciabatta, Italian, hearth, or sourdough
2 cups diced canned tomatoes with juice
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Prepare a hot fire on the indirect side of your grill. If you have a charcoal grill, soak the wood chips in water for 30 minutes before smoking; if you have a gas grill, place dry wood chips in a foil packet, and poke holes in the top of the foil. Oil a deep disposable aluminum baking pan.
Trim the bottoms of the peppers so they sit flat and place them in the prepared baking pan. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels and roughly chop. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet and sauté the green onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the bread, tomatoes, cheese, and reserved bacon until the bread is moistened and the mixture is well blended. Spoon the mixture into the peppers.
When ready to grill, drain then scatter the soaked wood chips on the charcoal fire, and replace the grill rack. For a gas grill, place the packet of dry wood chips in the back over direct heat.
When you see the first wisp of smoke from the wood, place the pan of vegetables on the indirect or no-heat side of the grill. Close the lid and grill until the top of the filling is bubbling and burnished, about 30 minutes.
Serve topped with the chopped flat-leaf parsley.