Salmon rice stuffed peppers with herb yoghurt

Ingredients

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Halve the red peppers lengthways, scrape out seeds and membranes, and arrange cut-side up in one large roasting tin. Rub with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and ½ tsp of the sea salt.
2. 2Pat the salmon fillets dry, season with ½ tsp of the sea salt and a little black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the salmon 3–4 minutes per side until just opaque and flakes easily. Rest 2 minutes, then flake into large pieces, discarding any skin.
3. 3Finely chop the onions and garlic. Coarsely grate the ripe tomatoes, discarding the skins. Finely chop the parsley and mint, keeping a small handful of each aside for the yoghurt.
4. 4In a stockpot or large pan, warm the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Soften the onion for 6–8 minutes until sweet and pale gold, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute. Tip in the basmati rice and stir 1 minute until the grains look glossy.
5. 5Crumble in the vegetable stock cube with 350 ml boiling water, the grated tomato, ½ tsp sea salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the liquid is mostly absorbed but the rice is still firm in the centre. Take off the heat.
6. 6Fold the flaked salmon, sweetcorn, most of the chopped parsley and mint, and the juice of 1 lemon through the rice. Taste and adjust salt — the filling should be boldly seasoned.
7. 7Pile the filling into the pepper halves, mounding it generously. Drizzle any oil left in the pan over the tops. Roast on the top shelf for 35–40 minutes until the pepper edges are blistered and caramelised and the rice is tender.
8. 8While the peppers roast, beat the natural yoghurt with the juice of the remaining lemon, the reserved herbs, a pinch of sea salt and a grind of black pepper until thick and spoonable. Chill until needed.
9. 9Taste the yoghurt once more and loosen with a splash of water if it is too stiff. Bring the tin to the table and spoon a generous pool of herb yoghurt beside each stuffed pepper. Serve straight away.