Baked Red Peppers with Green Olive Salsa and Apricot

and Flaked Almond Couscous

Serves 4

Preparation:

Cooking Time:

These recipes are courtesy of Nigel Slater with a little adjustments of my own and I cooked all three dishes as they went very well together for a complete meal.

All three recipes are VEGAN and were delicious.   Tofu has little flavour but is a good source of protein and can absorb the flavourings from the juices and herbs.

Ingredients

For the Baked Red Peppers

6 Peppers (any colour you like, cut in half with seeds removed)

500g Tofu

250g pack cherry tomatoes, halved

For the Salsa

One pack green olives, stoned

Two banana shallots, finely chopped

One handful chives, chopped

One handful parsley, finely chopped

One handful fresh mint, leaves only, finely chopped

Half a cup of golden sultanas

One pack cherry tomatoes, quartered

For the Couscous

150g couscous

250ml Vegetable stock

2-4 tablespoons pine kernals

Half a cup of flaked almonds

One bunch of Spring Onions, finely chopped

350g ready to eat apricots, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Cider Apple Vinegar

Seasoning

For the Herb Dressing for the Couscous (make a little extra if you feel the Salsa needs some dressing)

Juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 tablespoons runny honey

15g mint sprigs, finely chopped - leaves only

15g parsley, finely chopped

Seasoning

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
   
   
2. For the Peppers:   Cut in half, remove the seeds and place the halves in a roasting tray.
   
   
3. Cut the tofu into small squares and put divide these amongst the halved peppers.
   
   
4. Halve the cherry tomatoes and tuck these in with the tofu and then season.
   
   
5. Drizzle with the olive oil and place in the oven to roast until peppers are soft and taking on a little colour, then remove from the oven and set aside.
   
   
6. For the Salsa:  Put all the ingredients, except the golden sultanas, into a food processor and pulse briefly to chop roughly, then add the sultanas, and mix these into the mixture.   Transfer to small serving dish.
   
   
7. For the Couscous:  Pour the boiling hot vegetable stock over the couscous in a large bow, cover and leave for ten minutes.
   
   
8. Fluff up with a fork and then add the dressing - to make this, combine all ingredients and pulse with a hand held mixer.
   
   
9. Now mix in the pine kernels, flaked almonds, spring onions and apricots and transfer to a separate serving dish.
   
   
10. If you wish, you can make a little extra of the herb dressing and mix this into the Salsa, as well.

Images for the Salsa and Couscous can be seen below: