fridays with oscar | french tart and stuffed peppers

For the rosemary syrup, add two medium sprigs of fresh rosemary along with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and allow it to steep for 30 minutes until it cools. Remove rosemary and store in an airtight jar in refrigerator.

In a cocktail shaker three-quarters filled with ice, combine all liquid ingredients. Stir until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a small slice of grapefruit or rosemary sprig.

After I poured the French Tart the color didn’t look very pink. I added a smidge of sparkling Rose that added color and flavor. I liked it – a lot!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the rice according to the package directions, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and saute until translucent. Turn the heat up to medium, and crumble in the turkey meat, separating it as best as you can. Saute the meat until it browns, about 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Once the meat has browned, add 1 cup of chicken broth and the diced tomatoes. Lower the heat and let simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 30 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well. As the spinach is wilting, add the cooked rice. Stir often to marry the flavors and textures. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

Cut away the tops of the peppers. Discard the ribs and seeds. Add the remaining chicken broth to a baking dish; it should come halfway up the sides. Place each pepper standing up.

Once the stuff has finished cooking fill each pepper completely. Top with a layer of bread crumbs or cheese, if desired. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes, or when the peppers begin to wrinkle. Serve.