Ingredients
| 2 leeks, pale parts only, thinly sliced | |
| 1 garlic clove, crushed | |
| olive oil, for cooking | |
| 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander seeds | |
| 2 x 400g cans of cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained | |
| 150g green olives (optional) | |
| handful of flat-leafed parsley leaves, chopped | |
| splash of white wine, stock or water | |
| 8 long peppers (capsicums), red or yellow, or a mix | |
| 2 x 200g blocks of feta | |
| 250g cherry tomatoes, cut in half, or 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly diced | |
| 3 tablespoons pistachios, flaked almonds or pumpkin seeds, toasted | |
| handful of chopped dill | |
| HERB SAUCE – OPTIONAL | |
| 4 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt | |
| juice of 1⁄2 lemon | |
| 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint, dill and/or coriander (or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried mint) |
This extract from Special Guest by Annabel Crabb & Wendy Sharpe shows how to host friends and family without stressing out.
Instructions
| 1. | In a sturdy roasting tin or large ovenproof frying pan set over medium heat, fry the leek and garlic in a generous amount of olive oil for 2–3 minutes until the leeks have softened. |
| 2. | Stir in the coriander seeds and fry for another minute or so, then add the beans, olives and parsley and mix everything together. |
| 3. | If you’ve got some white wine on the go, you can sacrifice a splash of it to the pan at this point; otherwise, add a dash of stock or water. |
| 4. | Spread out the bean mixture evenly in your roasting tin, or transfer from the frying pan to an ovenproof dish. |
| 5. | To prepare the peppers, cut off the tops – just a centimetre or so below the stem – and use your fingers to clear out as many seeds as you can. |
| 6. | Cut each block of feta into five strips. |
| 7. | And here is where the advantage of using long peppers instead of the more bulbous sort becomes apparent: push a strip of feta inside each pepper and it should fit perfectly. |
| 8. | Very satisfying for neat freaks. |
| 9. | Lay the peppers on top of the beans and crumble the last two strips of feta over the top, then scatter over the tomatoes. |
| 10. | Set aside until you’re ready to bake – if that’s more than a couple of hours away, pop it in the fridge. |
| 11. | If you want to serve the herb sauce with your stuffed peppers, simply mix together all the ingredients and refrigerate until needed. |
| 12. | About an hour before serving time, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). |
| 13. | Drizzle the peppers and tomatoes with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and bake for 40–50 minutes. |
| 14. | The peppers should look defeated and collapsed – but appetising! |
| 15. | They’ll be fine kept warm in a 160°C (140°C fan) oven for a bit longer, but you may need to add a small splash more wine, stock or water to stop them from drying out. |
| 16. | To serve, remove from the oven and leave to sit for 5 minutes. |
| 17. | If using the herb sauce, flick it in frantic zigzags across the top, then sprinkle with the toasted nuts or pumpkin seeds and finish with a scattering of dill and a good grinding of pepper. |
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