Sweet pepper couscous with melting goat's cheese

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This wonderful vegetarian meal doubles as a tasty cold salad to serve for a packed lunch or festive buffet.

Ingredients

To serve the couscous piping hot, microwave it for 1½ - 2 mins on HIGH while you're grilling the goat's cheese.

½ jar mild or hot sweet piquanté peppers, rinsed and sliced
225g (8oz) couscous
75g (3oz) dried cranberries
2tsp vegetable stock powder or 1 vegetable stock cube, dissolved in 450ml (¾ pint) boiling water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground coriander
40g (1½ oz) pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g (7oz) goat's cheese, sliced

Put the peppers, couscous and cranberries into a large bowl and add the hot stock, allowing it to soak in and swell the couscous for about 10 minutes.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork to separate the grains, then stir in the olive oil, ground coriander, pistachios, spring onions and parsley. Season with a little salt and pepper, if needed.
Preheat the grill. Lightly grill the goat's cheese slices until they just begin to soften and melt.
Serve the couscous, topped with the goat's cheese and garnished with fresh parsley sprigs.

Top tip: To serve the couscous piping hot, microwave it for 1½ - 2 mins on HIGH while you're grilling the goat's cheese. www.peppadew.co.uk