Salad-stuffed blackened peppers

2 of 5-a-day barbecue fibre gluten free stuffed pepper summer vegan vegetarian

N/A

Serves 6 as a side

Source

Ingredients

120g buckwheat

4 tbsp olive oil

2 medium red onions , sliced

1 small garlic clove , crushed

1 ½ tsp za'atar (or use a mixture of cumin and coriander)

1 tbsp light brown soft sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

20g pistachios , toasted

20g hazelnuts , toasted and roughly chopped

3 plump medjool dates , finely chopped

½ small pack flat-leaf parsley , chopped

3 large red peppers

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the buckwheat. Cook for 10-12 mins until tender but with a little bite, then drain and set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 mins or until beginning to soften. Tip in the garlic and za’atar, and cook for a further 1 min. Stir in the sugar, cook for 3 mins more, then stir in the red wine vinegar. Tip the caramelised onions into the buckwheat and combine well. Add the remaining olive oil, the nuts, dates and half the parsley, then season well.

Wrap the peppers in foil parcels and put on the barbecue for 20 mins, turning every so often. (Alternatively, put the peppers on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 mins at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 – but don’t use foil as you want them to get some colour.)

Remove the foil and slice the top off each pepper, being careful not to cut all the way through. Remove the seeds and fill with the buckwheat mixture. Serve garnished with the remaining parsley.