This dish is a little bit embarrassing and a little bit awkward for everyone involved. It features red peppers, which are the only pepper in the pepper family that are not a peppery flavour at all. They're also the only peppers that are just called peppers despite the lack of pepper. Everyone else is a chilli, or a jalapeno, or paprika, or the bossy one with its own directions, the freshly-ground black pepper. The embarrassment and awkwardness begins when, who should walk in, but a bag of watercress. A green leaf made of water and cress with a distinctly peppery taste. You can tell that the rest of the pepper family members are pretty angry for their timid little cousin. Because we all know they'd go fucking mental if some leaf turned up to steal their thunder. There'd be anarchy on the streets. Sirens, car chases, search lights from helicopters, news crews careering round corners, court dates and community service sentences in the time it takes to say Habanero. So the grace and dignity with which the red pepper handles the rest of the recipe is a true testament to its character.
Let the pepper and the watercress get to know each other in the oven and and they'll form a harmonious union - with the world's best yogurt sauce to accompany it.
For the peppers
2 red peppers, halved, seeds and fleshy white bits removed
1 cup pearl barley (before it's cooked)
about 6 to 8 cherry tomatoes
2 big handfuls of watercress
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
handful of chopped mint (reserve some for yogurt sauce)
handful of chopped coriander (reserve some for yogurt sauce)
two tablespoons toasted pine nuts
olive oil
pinch of paprika
large pinch of dried chilli flakes, to taste
salt, pepper, to taste
For the yogurt sauce
single natural yogurt pot (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 clove minced garlic from above
1/2 lemon juice and zest from above
small tsp of honey
pinch of paprika
chopped herbs, reserved from above
salt, pepper, to taste
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
Start by mixing together all the yogurt sauce ingredients and chill in the fridge.
Put the peppers (insides facing upwards) on a baking tray and rub with a little olive oil and salt, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
Cook the pearl barley on the hob according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a frying pan, warm a little oil over a medium heat, and add the tomatoes, garlic and paprika with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir and add the lemon zest, mint, coriander and watercress, toasted pine nuts and chilli flakes.
Add the pearl barley and mix till everything is combined and the watercress has wilted a little bit. Fill the peppers with the mixture and keep any remaining filling to add at the end.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, then remove and add any remaining pearl barley mixture. Top with the yogurt sauce and any remaining herbs.
