Tomato-Pepper Stew

Submitted by BigRedDot

This is a tangy and filling stew. My non-vegetarian friends like to add monkfish to it (increase cooking time accordingly).

Ingredients

 * 10 small pearl onions.
 * 10 cloves
 * 4 bell or dolce peppers (one green, one red, one orange, one yellow)
 * 2 bay leaves
 * 10–12 different variety medium tomatoes (or 2 28oz can tomatoes)
 * 1 bunch of parsley
 * 4 large lemons
 * red pepper flakes
 * 2 large garlic heads
 * 1 bottle white wine
 * olive oil
 * salt
 * pepper

Preparation
Peel the onions and stuff with cloves. Clean and cut bell peppers in thin slices and irregular pieces. Extract and crush all garlic cloves. Wash tomatoes and them quarter each. Chop about 1 cup of fresh parsley

Directions

 * 1) Heat 1/4 c. olive oil to pot and saute onions over medium heat for 10–15 minutes (light brown but not burned, and aromatic).
 * 2) Add chopped garlic and cook garlic for about 2 minutes, until it sizzles a little.
 * 3) Turn up the heat to medium high. Add bell peppers and cook for about 5–10 minutes until bell peppers have turned color and have started to wilt and sizzle a little.
 * 4) Add bay leaves and zest of 3 lemons into pot. Stir gently and cook for 1–2 minutes to release lemon oil
 * 5) Add tomatoes and then add 1–2 c. of white wine.
 * 6) Add about 2 teaspoon salt, about 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and fresh pepper to taste. Add 1/2 c. parsley and gently turn mixture.
 * 7) Cover and let cook on medium low for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add more olive oil if desired.
 * 8) Add more salt to taste and more red pepper flakes if more heat is needed (but cook 5 minutes more if you do).
 * 9) Let stew set for 5–10 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, and some lemon zest strips.

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