I discovered Darren McGrady, known as The Royal Chef, on YouTube when he began sharing recipe videos in 2019. His channel has blossomed into a rich collection of recipes and stories from his time cooking for the royal family. I still enjoy tuning in to see what delectable creations he is preparing—it’s delightful to hear his tales of gathering berries for jam at Balmoral, preparing “spaggy bol” for young Prince William and Harry, and meeting the various members of the royal family for the first time.
McGrady’s deep affection for the royals and his passion for his work shine through in his videos. He served at Buckingham Palace for a decade and then spent five more years at Kensington Palace catering for Princess Diana after her separation from Prince Charles. Now residing in Texas, he runs a catering business, writes cookbooks, and shares content on his YouTube channel.
Luckily for us, McGrady has graciously shared some of the recipes he created for the beloved Princess Diana, including the mouthwatering stuffed peppers featured here. He used to prepare these for Princess Di up to three times a week, and it’s no wonder she loved them so much. They have become one of my personal favorites, and I will definitely be making them again.
The peppers are filled with a flavorful mixture of rice, sautéed vegetables, and gooey mozzarella cheese. They can easily be made vegetarian by substituting the bacon for extra Parmesan. McGrady showcases this adaptation in his recipe video.
For a meal fit for royalty, these stuffed peppers are surprisingly simple to assemble. McGrady’s video demonstrates one serving, while the written recipe caters to four. The dish is straightforward—the princess received a smoked tomato and pepper sauce beneath her peppers, but they are equally delicious without it.
Diana had a penchant for nutritious, vegetable-packed dishes, and these bell peppers epitomize that preference. The filling, comprised of mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, herbs, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and crispy bacon, offers a medley of flavors and richness. Putting together this recipe and employing McGrady’s elegant, classically-inspired techniques was a delight. His mastery in layering flavors and seasonings is evident as each component is seasoned and cooked separately before being combined and briefly baked to ensure melty cheese and a heated-through filling.
I particularly appreciate McGrady’s method of drizzling the peppers with olive oil and par-baking them before using the infused oil to sauté the onions, mushrooms, and zucchini. Additionally, he lightly salts the oil-coated peppers prior to baking, a step not included in the printed recipe but crucial for perfectly seasoned bites.
Some slight variations exist between the printed recipe and McGrady’s video, such as halving the peppers lengthwise in the video rather than removing their tops, a technique that I find more practical for stuffing and stability.
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I can’t wait to experiment with adding more vegetables next time; these fantastic stuffed peppers are sure to become a regular feature in my family’s dinner rotation. I’m excited to delve further into Chef Darren’s repertoire of Diana’s favorites.
Recipe for Chef Darren McGrady’s Stuffed Peppers:
To serve 4, you will need:
– 4 red bell peppers
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 1/2 cup chopped onion
– 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
– 1 small zucchini, diced
– 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
– 2 tomatoes, chopped
– 1 cup rice, cooked until al dente and cooled
– 1/2 cup water
– 1/2 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube
– 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped (optional)
– Shredded fresh basil
– 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
– 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut off the tops of the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes. If the peppers do not stand up on their own, slice thin pieces from the bottoms to level them. Alternatively, halve the peppers lengthwise and place them cut-side up.
3. Arrange the peppers on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 25 minutes until the peppers begin to soften.
4. In a skillet, heat the oil used for cooking the peppers over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, mushrooms, zucchini, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they start to soften.
5. Incorporate the tomatoes, rice, water, and bouillon into the skillet mixture, simmer for 5 minutes, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Fold in the cooked bacon, basil, and mozzarella cheese. Fill the peppers with the rice-vegetable mixture. Top with Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese melts and the filling is heated through.
This recipe is adapted from ‘Eating Royally’ by Chef Darren McGrady. Enjoy!
