Sausage-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

Ingredients

• 8 teaspoons olive oil , or as needed, divided
• 4 ounces chorizo sausage , casings removed and meat crumbled
• 0.5 cups diced green onion
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.5 cups cooked long-grain white rice
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley , divided
• 2 cloves garlic , crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 blood orange , zested and juiced
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper , or more to taste
• 12 piquillos peppers
• 2 tablespoons chopped almonds

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute sausage, green onion, and a pinch of salt in hot oil until meat is browned and crumbly and onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Mix rice, goat cheese, egg, 2 tablespoons parsley, garlic, cumin, 1 teaspoon blood orange zest, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Spoon rice mixture into each pepper. Place stuffed peppers in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Scatter almonds over the top, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until stuffed peppers are heated through and filling is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon blood orange juice, remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, and remaining parsley over the top.