I'm humming that the summer which is coming will be fun!!

For some reason I've been reminded of the poem (or hum!) called 'Noise' by Pooh. It has always conjured up Spring for me. Those early days when you realise winter has gone and everything is on the move towards Spring and Summer. But for some reason this year the Spring is not springing, and I haven't yet heard the Nightingale singing.... which he did in mid March last year. Wet weather here, and temperatures below zero in England!! What's happening? We had a lovely warm day yesterday, and then today it's turned wet and cold again. However much I love to sit in front of a cosy fire, I'm starting to feel the need for sunny days and fresh air! 

Spring might not have started but our season has. We've just finished our second week with two ladies from North Carolina who came for a six day cooking school. The weather was pretty awful for them, but with a lot of time in the kitchen it didn't really seem to matter, although we had a rather wet and windy trip to Carcassonne!! We did however manage to sit outside a café for a 'grande crème' at the street market in Pèzenas and in the main square at Narbonne... so not all bad!!

One of the recipes that always impresses our guests, and which is easy to do, is Peter's baked red peppers stuffed with feta and mint. It has a Moroccan influence and reminds me of summer lunches on the terrace with a chilled bottle of rosé!! So here's the recipe, and like Pooh, I'll carry on humming and hoping that 'the cuckoo will be cucking and ooing' very soon!! Enjoy!!

RED PEPPER WITH FETA AND MINT

Red Peppers halved horizontally

250g Feta

20g Mint

2 onions, finely sliced and chopped

50g pinenuts – toasted

Olive oil
Black pepper

1) Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil in to a baking tin, and place the halved peppers so they sit on their skins.
2) In a food processor mix feta and mint.
3) In a frying pan sauté onions in a little olive oil until soft.
4) Allow onions to cool.
5) In a bowl mix the the cheese mixture with the onions and pine-nuts.

6) Fill the peppers with the mixture and bake for about 1 hour in a preheated oven 200ºC
7) Serve with the residue olive oil and mint sprigs.