Chia-Hummus Stuffed Bell Peppers
Chia-Hummus Stuffed Bell Peppers are a flavorful and nutritious dish perfect for 2 servings. Start by preheating the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. In a small bowl, combine hummus, chia seeds, lemon juice, ground cumin, and chilli powder. Fill the halved peppers with this mixture and top them with pine nuts before drizzling olive oil over them. Place the peppers on a baking tray and bake for about 40 minutes until they are slightly puckered around the edges and the pine nuts are lightly bronzed. Serve these delicious stuffed peppers on a bed of bitter leaves and accompany them with some chilli sauce on the side for an extra kick of flavor.
- 200 grams Hummus
- 40 grams Chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- ½ teaspoons Chilli powder
- 1 Red pepper
- 2 tablespoons Pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Starting Off
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2). This ensures the oven is at the perfect temperature by the time you're ready to bake.
- Preparing the Apples
Remove the top 1 cm below the stalk of each apple, keeping the tops for later. Use an apple corer or melon baller to hollow out the middle, creating a tunnel while leaving the walls about 1-1.5 cm thick. Score a shallow slit around each apple's perimeter to prevent bursting during baking.
- Creating a Ham Plug
Insert a small piece of Parma ham into the bottom of each apple's tunnel. This acts as a plug to keep the filling secure inside the apple during the baking process.
- Mixing the Filling
In a bowl, combine toasted chopped hazelnuts, almonds, goats’ curd, rosemary, and optional lavender with a drizzle of olive oil. Mash everything together until well mixed.
- Filling the Apples
Evenly distribute the filling among the apples, carefully stuffing each one without dislodging the ham plug at the bottom.
- Wrapping with Ham
Wrap two slices of Parma ham around each apple, using the fattier parts to help it adhere. If needed, secure with a cocktail stick.
- Baking Preparation
Place the stuffed apples in a baking dish, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and add the apple cider or juice to the dish. Set the apple tops back in place around the stuffed apples.
- Baking
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes at the initial temperature. Then, remove the foil, increase the heat to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4), and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until the apples are tender and the ham is crispy.
- Serving
Serve the baked apples warm, positioned with their tops slightly askew for an attractive presentation. Accompany with fresh salad leaves and a spoonful of the cooking juices drizzled over the top.
