Stuffed Red Peppers
A wonderful veggie starter or main course. The Mechaalany Makdous is the Arabian touch from my years of living in the Gulf. The combination of salty aubergine, feta and walnuts add a new dimension to the smokiness of a wonderfully baked red pepper.
Mechaalany Makdous are baby stuffed aubergines filled with walnuts and herbs, marinated in olive oil. Very popular in the Middle East, often commercially prepared for those of us who seek a quick recipe, and sold via supermarkets or Middle Eastern food specialists.
Ingredients
-
6 red peppers
-
Filling
-
3 large tomatoes
-
4-6 small Mechaalany Makdous- removed from preserving oil
-
4-6 cloves of garlic- thinly sliced
-
Topping
-
Extra virgin olive oil
-
Generous knob of unsalted butter- optional
-
Feta cheese
-
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Prepare filling for peppers:
-
01 Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend to a coarse, chunky puree.
-
Prepare red peppers:
-
02 Wash, trim and cut in half. Remove core and all seeds and fill each half with the garlicky, tomato, coriander mixture.
-
03 Heavily douse with olive oil and a dot of butter (optional). Season well.
-
To cook:
-
04 Bake in a hot oven and when tender remove from the oven and top with slices of feta cheese and herbs.
-
05 Serve either hot or cold with lots of crusty French bread.
Notes
Allow one person to one whole pepper and DO NOT ADD salt to the recipe unless you feel it needs it, as the feta and Mechaalany Makdous can often be quite salty in themselves. Just a note on the Mechaalany Makdous which are basically mini baby aubergines stuffed with walnuts and marinated heavily in brine and later oil, they are easily bought in the Middle East, but if unavailable in your local supermarket I do recommend you look for a deli's specialising in Middle Eastern food products. If unable to find, just omit from the recipe.
