French Stuffed Red Bell Peppers With Fennel And Goats Cheese Recipes

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED BABY PEPPERS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the peppers with the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and arrange them cut-side down. Broil until beginning to brown and soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, mascarpone, orange zest, lemon zest and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well with a rubber spatula. Place the cheese mixture in a piping bag with a decorative tip. Fill each pepper evenly with the cheese mixture, being careful not to overfill. Sprinkle with the chives. Store in the refrigerator if not serving immediately.

GOAT'S CHEESE, FENNEL & ROASTED RED PEPPER TART

Steps:

• Roll out the pastry onto a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use to line a 20 x 3.5cm deep loose-based tart tin. Prick the base with a fork, cover and chill for 30 mins, or put in the freezer for 15 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (or dried rice or beans). Put the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and beans and cook for another 8-10 mins until a pale biscuit colour. Turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat, add the onion, fennel and pepper, and cook for about 15 mins until soft and beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic and cook for a few mins more. Allow to cool.
• Lightly whisk the eggs, cream and milk together, then add the paprika and some seasoning. Tip the veg into the tart shell and dot over with cheese and olives. Pour over the eggs, then put the tin in the oven. Bake the tart for 20-25 mins until golden and set. Cool on a wire rack, then remove from the tin and cut into slices. Serve with caper berries scattered around, if you like. This can be eaten at room temperature or reheated later.

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER AND FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Char bell peppers over open flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose peppers in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers, then cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, and dried crushed pepper in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Peppers and dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring dressing to room temperature and rewhisk before using.)
• Toss sliced fennel bulb with half of dressing in medium bowl. Toss red peppers with remaining dressing in another medium bowl.
• Divide greens among 4 plates. Arrange fennel and red peppers over. Sprinkle reserved fennel fronds, olives, and Parmesan shavings over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

MINI BELL PEPPERS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place peppers on the baking sheet and roast 8 to10 minutes (small peppers - less than 2 inches long - will cook faster), turning them over halfway through. The peppers should be soft but not charred, except perhaps in a few spots. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If there are some larger peppers in the bag and they haven't softened in 10 minutes, return to oven for another 5.
• While peppers are cooling, make filling. Combine goat cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until mix is very smooth, at least one minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and process for another minute. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch star tip.
• When peppers have cooled, slice off ends just below the shoulders. Carefully remove any seeds and membranes. The peppers should be intact, but sometimes, they split down one side. Place any that have not split upright in a small glass or cup to facilitate filling, and pipe in goat cheese mix. Lay those that have split on a plate, pipe on the filling and close the pepper around the filling. Arrange stuffed peppers on a plate or platter. Serve at once, or chill until 30 minutes before serving. Bring to room temperature so cheese is soft and creamy.

FRENCH STUFFED RED BELL PEPPERS WITH FENNEL AND GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 120C/240F/Gas 1.
• Cut the peppers in half, discard the core & seeds and also trim away the white membrane too.
• Grease a Le Creuset roasting or ovenproof dish.
• Cut the onion & fennel bulb into 6 wedges each. (Keep the the delicate green fronds from the fennel bulb & put to one side.).
• Put the onion wedges, fennel wedges & cushed garlic into a mixing bowl & add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & black pepper - mix well.
• Divide the onion & fennel wedges between the 6 pepper halves, arranging them neatly within the peppers & season well.Pour the remaining oil & vinegar dressing over the top of them.
• Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the peppers are soft & just tinged brown.
• Remove the stuffed peppers from the oven & increase the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Sprinkle the chopped sun-dried tomatoes over the top of the peppers.
• Slice the goats cheese & arrange over the top of the stuffed peppers; return them the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted & bubbling.
• Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly and serve them warm or at room temperature with the cooked dressing drizzled over the top of them.
• Garnish with the green fronds kept from the fennel bulbs.
• Serve as a starter, 1 pepper half per person with a side salad or as a main course - 2 pepper halves per person with bread & salad.
• These can also be served as a very colourful & elegant vegetable accompaniment!

GRILLED ROASTED RED PEPPERS STUFFED WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice the peppers open and reserve. Add the cheese to a shallow dish and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, a little lemon zest, lemon juice and a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to coat the cheese chunks in the marinade. Wrap each chunk in a roasted pepper and tie with twine to make a bundle.
• Heat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium, and grill the bundles until the peppers are evenly charred and cheese is browning at edges, about 8 to10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.