This is a light and easy to make tapas dish. The idea came to me from my mom-in-law’s kitchen. She makes the traditional version with cod (pimiento con bacalao). I was looking for a stronger, more intense flavour and decided to try it with a tuna mix.

I have also created a vegetarian version of this dish, which I make with grated paneer ( Indian cheese). This can be spiced up to give it Indo-Spanish flavours.

I love the flavour of tuna mixed with garlic, olives and capers. I like to cook the tuna a bit to take the raw/tin taste away. The green peppercorns add a little zest. This is a great dish as a starter or accompaniment to a Mediterranean meal. It can eaten warm or cold.

Ingredients

1 can whole roasted red peppers (pimientos)

These are tinned red peppers you can get in Spanish shops. I recently saw them being sold in jars in supermarket here.

For the filling

• 1 tin tuna in oil, drained
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped. ( I tend to add more because I like it garlicky)
• 1 tin of tomato or ½ cup of passata
• 12-15 pitted black olives chopped
• 1 tsp of sherry vinegar or white vinegar
• 6-8 capers ( optional)
• 1 tablespoon green pepper corns ( preserved, optional)
• (Green chillies – optional for the brave hearted)
• Olive oil for cooking
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped ( final garnish)
• Olive oil – 1 Tablespoon
• Salt and pepper- seasoning

Method

• Heat oil in a pan
• Add chopped onion and garlic when the oil is hot.
• Stir and cook for 5 min until the mix is golden brown
• Add tomatoes and cook. Cook for another 5 min until the tomatoes changes colour (becomes a deeper red).
• Add tuna and mix well.
• (Add little water if you find the mix is sticking to the base of the pan)
• Then add chopped olives, capers and green peppers corns. Mix well.
• Add vinegar and salt.
• Cover and cook the mix on low heat for 4-5 min on
• Turn the cooker off. Add chopped parsley.
• Leave the mixture to cool.
• Stuff each individual red pepper with a spoonful of mix