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Archive for September, 2026

Stuffed Peppers

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 27 September 2026| 2 Comments »

Stuffed peppers remind of me a little of my childhood in the 80s, similar to vol-au-vents and chicken a la king. These are superior stuffed peppers with Moroccan flavours and are easy to cook. The leftovers are perfect for lunchboxes. Serve with a green salad.

Stuffed Peppers – serves 4

  • 2 large or 4 small red peppers, halved
  • 150g couscous
  • 300ml just-boiled vegetable stock
  • jar of chickpeas (we like Bold Bean Company), drained and rinsed
  • 100g feta, crumbled, plus extra to serve
  • 100g SunBlush tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 50g green olives, chopped
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander, plus extra to serve
  • 1 tbsp rose harissa

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C.

Put the peppers on a baking tray, cut-side up, then roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until starting to soften.

Meanwhile, put the couscous in a bowl, pour over the stock, cover and leave for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous up with a fork, then stir in the chickpeas, feta, tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, olive oil, coriander and harissa. Season.

Remove the peppers from the oven and fill with the couscous mixture (you will probably have too much but you can save the rest for tomorrow’s lunch). Put back into the oven for another 10 minutes, then serve with extra feta and coriander.

(Original recipe by Dean Edwards in Olive Magazine, September 2020)

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Sweetcorn, New Potatoes and Tomatoes

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 September 2026| Leave a Comment »

This is a lovely, colourful dish that is jam-packed with fibre. We served it as a side dish but these are definitely main course portions so you may like to half the quantities. Some greens or salad on the side will make it a satisfying main.

Sweetcorn, new potatoes and tomatoes – serves 4 (or many more if served as a side dish)

  • 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
  • 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated but not peeled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g new potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tbsp harissa
  • 400g tin chickpeas, drained
  • 200g frozen sweetcorn
  • 300g cherry tomatoes, halved if large
  • a handful of parsley, chopped

Put the onion wedges and garlic cloves into a large roasting tin. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and spread out evenly.

Toss the potatoes in a bowl with the other tbsp of olive oil, the harissa and some salt and pepper. Scatter the potatoes over the onions.

Put the tin into a cold oven, turn it on to 170C fan/190C/Gas 5 and roast for 30-35 minutes or until the veg are browning and the ptoatoes are almost tender.

Give everything a stir, then add the chickpeas and frozen sweetcorn in a layer over the potatoes, then scatter over the tomatoes. Put back into the oven for another 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are blistered and everything else is cooked nicely.

Scattter with parsley and serve with greens or salad.

(Original recipe from High Fibre Heroes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2026.)

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Barbecued Plaice with Herb Butter

Posted in Barbecue, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 15 September 2026| 2 Comments »

The nights are getting shorter but there is still a bit of warmth in the air and we’re not ready to put the barbecue away yet. These plaice were delivered in our subscription fish box and they were super simple to cook over hot coals.

Wine Suggestion: Albariño is often filling our glass when there’s seafood or fish at the moment. Tonight Pazo de Señorans Colección from 2022, which has had a little time to settle in and develop. These wines can last decades but we’ve not yet developed the patience. Stonefruit and quince plus lovely layers of a salty mineral freshness with a hint of quinine. A precise and complex wine.

Barbecued plaice with herb butter – serves 2

  • 2 whole plaice
  • olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sea salt flakes

FOR THE HERB BUTTER:

  • 100g slightly softened butter
  • 25g soft green herbs (we used parsley and tarragon)
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed

Put the fish on a rack over a tray and leave uncovered in the fridge to dry for a few hours.

Mash the butter with the herbs, garlic and salt and pepper. Use a piece of greaseproof paper to roll it into a log and leave in the fridge.

Light your barbecue for hot direct grilling. Heat a fish cage over the fire.

Take the fish out of the fridge and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt on both sides.

Lift the hot cage off the barbecue and add the fish. Rest the fish cage on the grill bars over the fire and cook for a few minutes on each side. The skin should be lightly blistered and the internal temperature of the fish should reach 55C. Remove the cage from the grill and release the fish, sliding onto a warm platter.

Cut the butter into slices and dot over the fish, then cover loosely with foil. Leave to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes or until the fish hits 60C.

(Original recipe from Scorched by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2024)

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Pork Cooked in Cider with Apples

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 9 September 2026| 3 Comments »

There is definitely a more autumnal feel to the air this week and we’ve had a bit of rain and wind. So we went along with the theme and cooked this tasty pork caserole. We served this with plenty of champ and Irish green beans.

Wine Suggestion: As we had good friends over we raided the cellar and opened a sprightly Felton Road, Block 5, Pinot Noir, 2015. Heavenly.

Pork cooked in cider with apples – serves 6

  • olive oil
  • 1kg pork shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into chunks
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3 sticks of celery, chopped
  • 500ml dry cider
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 3 small eating apples, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
  • 25g butter
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp double cream
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped sage

Heat the oven to 170C/150 fan/gas 3.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large casserole. Season the pork well and fry in batches until well browned all over, then set aside.

Add the onions to the pot and cook gently for 20 minutes or until very soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes more.

Return the pork to the casserole and pour in the cider and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and place in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until the pork is tender.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the apple wedges until lightly browned.

Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the apples, mustard and cream. Put it back into the oven for a final 30 minutes, then stir through the parsley and sage before serving with champ and greens.

(Original recipe from Olive Magazine)

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