Mexican spiced vegetarian stuffed peppers..drool

When I was eight our family holiday was, as usual, to France. But this year it was going to be slightly different. Instead of taking the ferry from Ringaskiddy to Roscoff, we were going through England. Why? Because, my friends, I was been taken to Disneyland. Even now, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who'd get excited by the thought of a trip to the land of dreams (actual dreams not possibility dreams like America). I was so excited by the thought that I didn't sleep for a month before hand. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, and without the internet I wasn't able to check, but hell, it was Disneyland! It was going to be awesome. 

On our journey through England, we were to stop off at my aunt and her husband in London. This would be my first time in the English capital and my first time visiting them. Usually I'd only see them once a year when they came home to Ireland during her school break. I'm not going to lie..my aunt's husband terrified me when I was little.  He was over 6 foot and Egyptian. I don't know if it was a cultural thing or not but   I was a very shy child and he was a very straightforward and blunt man.It felt I was on trial at every visit.

 As part of that visit to them in London we were to go for dinner. After we arrived at their house following a tumultuous journey which included a 4 hour delay after mam put petrol into the diesel car, things on the food front got off to a bad start. Anyone that knows me, knows that I NEVER turn down tea. Unless I'm suffering a particularly bad bout of the flu. It never occurred to my eight year old brain that there would be any other type of tea other than Barry's or Lyons. FYI I'm a Lyon's girl.

 Anyways..what I got was neither of those. Oh god. It still haunts me. It was...Earl Grey. With MILK. I gagged. That's not a taste anyone should have to suffer. EVER. 

I should have cut my losses, played the tired child card and gone to bed. But no..Dinner. Now, I don't remember anything about the dinner,..I'm sure it was perfectly fine..but what I do remember .was the roasted peppers. Ok..so for a foodie to admit this is big..but I HATED peppers when I was little. I mean, really really despised them. But whether it was a cultural thing or a personality thing I was forced to eat one by my aunt's husband. This time I did actually get sick. That was traumatic. It put me off peppers for a good ten years. 

I'll be the first to admit that I was wrong about peppers they're lovely (apart from the green ones...they're not meant to be eaten people, they're not RIPE!) and for a healthy, simple, easy and delicious dinner there is nothing nicer than a stuffed pepper. You can stuff them with anything from minced meat to quinoa but this particular version is filled with caramelised spicy onions, goats cheese and breadcrumbs. They can be prepared in advance so can be served as a starter for a dinner party or made the night before for a midweek dinner. 

Either serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main 

You will need:

2 peppers (the long thin ones)

2 slices of white bread with the crusts removed

2tbsp olive oil

2 banana shallots or 4 small regular shallots chopped finely

8 fresh thyme springs, leaves picked and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 heaped tsp chipotles en adobo or chipotles paste (tesco stocks this)

*this is what I use>

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

120g goats cheese crumbled (for vegetarians, use vegetarian goats cheese)

75g grated vegetarian Parmesan style cheese

1. Halve the peppers lengthways and remove the seeds. Plunge them in boiling salted water for 2-3 mins to blanch.Refresh in cold water. Then drain. This will soften them.

2. Meanwhile, whizz the bread in a blender to make breadcrumbs. 

3.Heat olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the shallot, thyme and some seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes until the shallots are soft. Add the garlic and chipotles and cook fo ranother 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. 

4. When the mixture has cooled, stir in the lemon juice and then the goats cheese.

5. Place the peppers in a shallow baking dish. Divide the stuffing between the peppers and scatter  with the breadcrumbs. 

6.When you're getting ready to eat preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinke with the grated cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.