Squash & pepper stacks

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These tasty towers make a perfect starter or even main course if served with vegetables or a large salad. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans or veggie-loving meat eaters.

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Calories per portion: 423kcal
Fat per portion: 16.1g

175g (6oz) Camargue red rice
2 tbsp light olive oil
150g (5oz) red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp all spice
1 1/2 tbsp raisins
40g pine nuts, (toasted)
3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 butternut squash (long fat-stem if possible)
2 large red peppers, each cut into 8 thick slices
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100g (4oz) good quality cranberry sauce
Juice of half small lemon

1. Bring the rice to the boil in a medium sized saucepan and simmer for 20 - 25 mins, ensuring it still has some 'bite'.
2. Using 1 tbsp of the olive oil, sauté the onion until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the spices and raisins and cook for a further 2 mins.
3. Combine this mixture together with the cooked rice, pine nuts and parsley.
4. Peel the stem of the squash with a vegetable peeler and cut into 8 circles approx 1 cm thick and 8-9 cm diameter. Parboil for 2-3 mins to soften slightly.
5. Heat a large ridged grill pan. Mix the remaining 1 tbsp oil with the vinegar and brush the squash and peppers with this before char-grilling. Keep the cooked vegetables warm in a low oven until ready to assemble the stacks.
6. Melt the cranberry sauce in a small saucepan, adding a tbsp of water if it is very thick. Once warm add the lemon juice and sieve to remove any large pieces.
7. To assemble the stacks, place one squash circle in the centre of a dinner plate. Place a 8.5cm ring over/on top of it and press in a quarter of the rice mixture. On top of this place a second circle and decoratively pile a quarter of the grilled peppers. Drizzle over 1-2 tbsp of sauce.

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