Valencian peppers stuffed with rice, tuna and beans

Ingredients

• 8 red bell peppers (not too large)
• 200 g of fresh flat beans (fesols de careta)
• 225 g of Lima beans (garrofó)
• 100 g of white beans
• 375 g of canned tuna
• 375 g of rice (one handful per bell pepper, plus two handfuls)
• 1 to 2 tomatoes for the sofrito
• 3 tomatoes, sliced for the filling
• 3 cloves of garlic, to taste
• One large bunch of parsley
• 150 ml of olive oil
• salt
• saffron

Remove the tuna from the brine the night before by changing the water 2 or 3 times, then cut it into small pieces. Cut off the top of the bell peppers, remove the seeds, and dice the caps into small pieces.

Place the bell peppers in a baking dish, season them with salt, and cover them to allow them to release their moisture.

While you’re doing that, clean and chop the flat beans, peel and dice 1 or 2 tomatoes for the sofrito, and slice the remaining tomatoes.

Remove the stems from the bell peppers.

For the filling, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the garlic, chopped tomatoes, and parsley. Then add the tuna and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetables, diced bell peppers, and water to cover. Simmer for at least 20-30 minutes, adding more water as needed.

Once the vegetables are cooked through, add the rice and mix well with the remaining ingredients. Remove from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes.

Arrange the bell peppers, place the tomato slices on top, and cover the dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Bake in a preheated oven at 250 °C for approximately two hours, depending on your oven; you may be able to reduce the temperature slightly after 30 minutes.

Allow the bell peppers to rest before serving.