A great vegetarian barbecue option, blackening the skins of these stuffed peppers gives them a delicious smoky flavour. Make the buckwheat salad the day before if you want to get ahead
Prep:10 mins
Serves 6 as a side
120g buckwheat4 tbsp olive oil2 medium red onions, sliced1 small garlic clove, crushed1 ½ tsp za’atar (or use a mixture of cumin and coriander)1 tbsp light brown soft sugar2 tbsp red wine vinegar20g pistachios, toasted20g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped3 plump medjool dates, finely chopped½ small pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped3 large red peppers
STEP 1Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the buckwheat. Cook for 10-12 mins until tender but with a little bite, then drain and set aside.STEP 2Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 mins or until beginning to soften. Tip in the garlic and za’atar, and cook for a further 1 min. Stir in the sugar, cook for 3 mins more, then stir in the red wine vinegar. Tip the caramelised onions into the buckwheat and combine well. Add the remaining olive oil, the nuts, dates and half the parsley, then season well.STEP 3Wrap the peppers in foil parcels and put on the barbecue for 20 mins, turning every so often. (Alternatively, put the peppers on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 mins at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 – but don’t use foil as you want them to get some colour.)STEP 4Remove the foil and slice the top off each pepper, being careful not to cut all the way through. Remove the seeds and fill with the buckwheat mixture. Serve garnished with the remaining parsley.
