Nigel Slater’s stuffed peppers

Debbie Fenner

Servings: 4

ripe peppers 4 medium to large

subheading: For the stuffing:

mograbiah (pearl couscous) 200g

olive oil

spring onions 6

garlic 2 cloves, sliced

ground paprika ½ tsp

lemon grated zest and juice of ½

mint leaves a large handful, chopped

coriander leaves a large handful, chopped

pine nuts 75g, toasted

subheading: For the yogurt sauce:

thick yogurt 200g

coriander and mint a handful each, chopped

paprika a pinch

black pepper

To make the stuffing, cook the mograbiah in plenty of well-salted boiling water (use the same amount of salt you would to cook pasta) for about 15 minutes, till tender. Drain and toss lightly with a little olive oil to stop the ‘pearls’ sticking together.

Meanwhile, finely chop the spring onions, discarding only the very darkest of the green shoots, and let them soften over a moderate heat in a glug or two of olive oil. Just before they start to colour, add the garlic, then the paprika and the grated lemon zest. Stir in the chopped herbs and the toasted pine nuts. When all is fragrant and starting to darken a little in colour, stir in the drained mograbiah and the lemon juice. Season carefully.

Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Cut the peppers in half, tug out the seeds and cores and lay the halves cut-side up in a baking tin. Pile the filling into the peppers, drizzle over a little more olive oil and cover loosely with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until sizzling.

To make the sauce, mix the yogurt with the herbs, paprika and a grinding of black pepper. Spoon it over the peppers at the table.

From Tender Volume 1 by Nigel Slater

Servings: 4

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