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Stuffed Peppers with New Potatoes, Feta & Pesto





I thought the name of this recipe might grab your attention, it certainly called out to me. What a great combination of flavours.

This recipe comes from River Cottage Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I have had this book for a few months and used it a few times, but this is the first time I have written about it. I don't know what took me so long.

I am a great fan of River Cottage and Hugh. I used to avoid all things River Cottage, thinking it to meaty to contemplate, but I have learned the error of my ways. Hugh and his team certainly have a way with vegetables, baking and desserts.

You can read my review of The River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook along with a recipe for Lentils with Onions & Watercress, My review of The Herbs Handbook, which is out next month and a recipe for Greedy Pudding Pear Cake which may not be exact, as I scribbled down notes for it while I was watching Hugh make it on tv, but is still rather special.


Back to River Cottage Veg. It reminds me a lot of Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi because of it's fresh use of vegetables. Vegetables used as the highlight of the dish rather than trying to recreate meat and two veg for veggies, as some vegetarian cookbooks do.

When I opened up River Cottage Veg, I was instantly won over, although I did have an inkling that it would be good. The flavours and all the full-page photos guaranteed to make you drool. I pretty much decided that I could happily just work my way through the book and that there wasn't a single recipe I wouldn't want to try.

I also love that the cookbook is illustrated by vegetable prints. A bit like potato printing, the designer has vegetable printed throughout the book. As an arty type, I was very excited by that.

Feel free to say how sad that makes me.



I can't choose a favourite, so I am just going to open the book randomly.

* Roasted Potatoes and Aubergines
* Kale Speltotto with Goat's Cheese
* White Beans with Artichokes
* Mushroom Stoup
* Baby Beet Tarte Tatin
* Chocolate & Beetroot Ice Cream
* Roasted Parsnip, Puy Lentil and Watercress Salad

The veggie recipe count is easy this time around.

Vegetarian Recipe Count 191 out of 191.
Vegan Recipe Count 73 out of 191 (with many more that could be easily made vegan).

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River Cottage Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Format: Hardback
Pages: 416
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 978-1408812129
Published: 19 Sep 2011
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And now on to the recipe. I am not usually a fan of stuffed peppers, but the sweetness of the peppers alongside the salty feta, herby pesto and crispy and soft potato was really excellent. I am thinking of trying this filling stuffed into mushrooms too. I think it will work really well. I used homemade pesto made with cashew nuts instead of pine nuts, but you can easily use shop bought pesto.






print recipe

Stuffed Peppers with New Potatoes, Feta and Pesto
Written by with kind permission

February 28, 2012


An easy dish that can be a served as a main course or a side dish. When making your filling you can use homemade or shop pesto, both would be good.
Ingredients
  • 200g small new poatoes
  • 4 red peppers
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g feta cheese
  • 4 tbsp pesto
  • a good grinding of salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas mark 6. Bring a pan of salted water to te boil, add the new potatoes and boil for 8-12 minutes, until just tender. Drain and cool slightly.2. Halve the peppers lengthways and remove the seeds and pith. Brush the outsides with olive oil, then place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.3. Halve or quarter the new potatoes and place in a bowl. Cut the feta into 1cm cubes and add to the potatoes. Toss both with the pesto until well combined.4. Spoon the filling into the halved peppers and bake for 40-45 minutes until browned on top.
Details
Total time: Yield: Serves 4



Disclosure Statement: I received this book free from the publisher to review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

25 comments

  1. I loved how you counted the vegan recipes. Score! I haven't had stuffed peppers in a while... thanks for the reminder that I should try them again. :)

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    1. The vegan count was a last minute thought, but I really should start adding that to my cookbook reviews.

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  2. These sound so good!!! I try to go meatless a couple of times a week.

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  3. This does look like a great dish! Even though I am not a vegetarian, I have many veggie cookbooks because I love vegetables and vegetarian cookbooks are full of fun, flavorful and unique ways to cook with all kinds of vegetables! This looks like a great one!

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  4. I was given this book for Christmas and I really like it too. I see what you mean about it being like the Ottolenghi book, but I think it's more down-to-earth. So many of the recipes feel like the kind of thing you can easily put together after a day's work with what you've got in the weekly veggie box, whereas Ottolenghi's recipes often require more thought and planning. Love both though!

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    1. That's true Veronica, the quite a few of the Plenty recipes look simple until you read all the ingredients. River Cottage Veg is definitely simpler and as you say down-to-earth.

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  5. I love this book too and yes, it has a lot of 'Plenty' about it, whilst still being unique in it's own way. I love the noodles and the pasta/souffle spouffle?! x

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    1. OK, know you have me intrigued Ren. Spouffle, that is a word Hugh would come up with, but I didn't notice it. I am off for a good look :)

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  6. This is my kind of vegetarian side dish. Happen to have red bells peppers, Greek Feta, reg. potatoes,and fresh basil to make pesto with, or just w/out the pesto! Love the recipe, and presentation:DDD

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    1. You are there already Elisabeth. Go for it girl :)

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  7. Jac, you're giving me a hard time. I've been trying really hard NOT to succumb to this book. I keep taking a peek at it in the bookshop every time I pass, but have managed to resist so far. I really like the River Cottage style of no fuss cooking and suspect I will get this in the end as well as the herbs handbook. The peppers sound delicious.

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    Replies
    1. It's a good price on Amazon just now. Pressure! Pressure! hehe :D

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  8. This just looks so delicious! I love food like this. I'm really interested in this book, it looks amazing and I love the show :D

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    1. The show was great Emma. I wouldn't mind watching it again actually and I did miss a couple

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  9. Ooh. Added a bit of quinoa for me, instead of potatoes, and it was tasty-tasty. I have to say that normally I don't care for stuffed peppers that much either, but this winter I've eaten stuffed stuff at least twice that has really stopped me cold and made me start foraging for recipes. I really enjoy this particular cookbook, although I must admit that I do a lot more photo-gazing than cooking from it just yet... although, that is me and most cookbooks, sadly!

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    1. I think we all do a lot of gazing at our cookbooks with contentment and not cooking from them. I really does mean making the effort and planning. I am not always good at planning :)

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  10. I'd never think to use potatoes to stuff peppers but this combination sounds excellent - have looked at this book and am still undecided about if I will buy it but I like this recipe

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    1. I thought the same when I saw the ingredients Johanna. I am a sucker for potatoes and feta and pesto. It is a great book Johanna, I think you would be pleased with it :)

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  11. Sounds awesome & looks lovely! Love the idea of using colorful peppers, looks amazing! :)

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    1. Thanks Kit, it was a great flavour combination and yes, lovely and colourful :)

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  12. I was blown away by the River Cottage Veg series. I haven't got the book yet, but it's on my list. So many interesting ideas. Your peppers look great VERY SPANISH!!!

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  13. Nice twist on the stuffed pepper of old.

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  14. How many calories in half a stuffed pepper with Feta, new potatoes and Pesto sauce please ?

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I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x