Peppers Stuffed with Couscous, Halloumi and Currants
There is no such thing for me as a casual glance at a cookbook. And, when I see one that is esthetically pleasing to the eye with beautifully illustrated drawings, tactile, and delicious-looking recipes I am hooked! Mr. Wilkson’s Vegetables truly is ‘A Cookbook To Celebrate The Garden‘. For every vegetable he writes snippets of information including history, nutritional content and growing and harvesting tips. There are more than 80 recipes so deciding which one to try first wasn’t easy. Sometimes I am forced to plan my meal on what is available at the time I am food shopping and last Friday I was at a farmers’ market where I spotted a box of mixed baby sweet peppers. Aha! I will make Mr. Wilkinson’s peppers stuffed with couscous, halloumi and currants.
Serves 4
adapted from Mr. Wilkinson’s Vegetables
1/2 cup couscous
6 long sweet peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts (roughly chopped)
2 tablespoons currants
1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 oz. halloumi, cut into small chunks
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and add 1/2 cup water. Stir with a fork for 20 seconds, cover with plastic wrap and leave for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir again to fluff up the grains. Put aside.
Trim the tops off the peppers, only 1/2-to-3/4 inch from the top and set the tops aside. Insert a small knife inside the pepper and cut out the seeds and membrane. Turn upside down and shake or gently tap until all the seeds have fallen out.
Add the remaining ingredients to the couscous and mix thoroughly. Carefully spoon the mixture into the peppers, compacting it with your finger, then place the tops back on. Place in a small ovenproof baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the peppers are soft and browned.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: I left the tops off the peppers as they were baking and this didn’t interfere with the flavors. If you can’t find halloumi cheese try using Queso Blanco or if that’s not available try feta. I will definitely make these again! Enjoy!