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1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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2
Have a baking dish at hand thats large and deep enough to hold 12 bell pepper halves.
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3
Strip the kale leaves from the stems, and save the stems for another use.
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4
Cut the kale into thin slices.
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5
In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil until it starts to shimmer.
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6
Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have started to soften, about 2 or 3 minutes.
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7
Add the sausage and kale and cook, stirring to break apart the meat, until the meat browns and is cooked through and the kale has thoroughly wilted, about 3 or 4 minutes.
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8
Use a spoon to break up any clumps of sausage.
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9
Add the rice and about 1/2 cup of the crushed tomatoes.
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10
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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11
Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat until the liquid is barely bubbling around the edges.
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12
Cover and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid and has plumped, about 18 to 20 minutes.
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13
Meanwhile, cut the peppers in half, starting close to the stem.
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14
Remove and discard the seeds and ribs, but leave the stems as intact as possible (for presentation).
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15
When the filling is ready, remove it from the heat and divide it equally among the cavities of the peppers, packing them loosely.
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16
Pour the remaining crushed tomatoes and their juices into the baking dish.
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17
Arrange the peppers, filled sides up, on top of the tomatoes.
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18
Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the peppers have softened, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
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19
Uncover; drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the mint, if desired.
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20
Serve hot, with some of the tomatoes and juices from the pan.
