Instructions: Heat oil in a sprayed 2-quart saucepan. Saute onion and leek seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper. When translucent and aromatic, add rinsed rice and garlic. Saute, stirring to coat the rice for about 2 minutes. Add lentils, celery, stewed tomatoes with juice, herbs and a western spice blend to taste. Add water. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Cover; reduce heat and simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Add the corn kernels if using (for color). Stir; taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside, uncovered, to cool.

SOFTEN THE PEPPERS: Bring a soup pot full of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Slice off the top of each pepper. Carefully remove the stem from the top. Core the pepper. Put the peppers and tops into the boiling water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady but gentle boil for 7 minutes. Do not boil so that the peel of the pepper blisters and breaks. Remove and refresh in ice water. Drain.

Preheat oven to 400F. Stand peppers upright in a sprayed casserole or loaf pan. Fill with the rice mixture. Place the peppers top on as a lid. Bake, covered with a foil tent for 15 minutes. Remove foil continue to bake until peppers are tender about 10 additional minutes. Serve with sauce on the side.

TIP - Precooking the pepper reduces some of the discomfort people get from bell peppers.

TIP - We can shave some of the cooking time if we soak the brown rice. Rinse the rice well in warm tap water. Soak it in cool or tepid water for 20 minutes. Rinse and drain well.

NOTES : Similar to but not the same as the traditional stuffed pepper, these have lentils instead of meat and a teasing flavor of herbs and spices. The sauce fills in any gaps of flavor that the stuffed peppers missed. Very good. This would reheat well.

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