Stuffed peppers!
Written By Mike Black
with tomatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Serves 6
FOR THE PEPPERS
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
3 large, stem-on yellow or orange bell peppers
3 large, ripe plum tomatoes
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
6 large Brussels sprouts, trimmed
8 ounces mushrooms of your choice, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp ground sumac (optional)
FOR THE SAUCE
1/2 cup non-fat Greek-style yoghurt
2 tbsps tahini (paste)
1 clove garlic, chopped
Gel/seeds and flesh from plum tomatoes (used in the peppers)
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
METHOD
1. For the peppers: Preheat the oven to 200C or gas mark 8. Use a little oil to grease the inside of a baking dish or cast-iron frying pan large enough to hold all of the peppers (halved) and mushrooms.
2. Carefully cut each pepper in half from top to bottom, including the stem so that each pepper half has its own partial stem. Use a sharp paring knife to remove/discard the seeds and ribs.
3. Cut each tomato from top to bottom. Use a sharp paring knife to remove the core. Use a spoon to scrape out the gel/seeds and flesh; reserve those for the sauce.
4. Arrange the pepper halves, cut side up, in the baking dish or frying pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil on the cut side of the bell peppers, and sprinkle them lightly with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle half of the minced garlic and half of the thyme on the peppers.
5. Gently fit each tomato half, cut side up, into each pepper half. Sprinkle them with a little more salt and black pepper plus the remaining garlic and thyme. Drizzle them with half the remaining oil, then place a Brussels sprout in each tomato half (creating a three-part stuffed vegetable, in effect).
6. Nestle the mushrooms between the pepper halves; drizzle them and the Brussels sprouts with the remaining oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the stuffed peppers with the sumac, if using.
7. Roast until a skewer easily pierces the Brussels sprouts, and the bell pepper halves and tomatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
8. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine the yoghurt, tahini, garlic, the reserved tomato gel/seeds and flesh, lemon juice, smoked paprika, if using, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth.
9. Spoon the sauce over the warm stuffed peppers and mushrooms, or pass the sauce at the table.