Stuffed Bell Peppers

Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Boil the rice in plenty of salted water for 8 minutes, so it still has some bite, then drain and spread it on a plate to steam dry.

Slice the tops off the peppers about 2cm below the stalk and keep the lids. Scoop out the seeds and white pith. If a pepper will not stand up, slice a thin piece from the base without cutting through. Pack the peppers snugly into a baking dish so they hold each other upright, sprinkle the insides with salt and roast them empty for 10 minutes while you make the filling. This head start softens the walls so they finish tender instead of raw.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin and oregano and stir for 1 minute.

Add the mince, turn the heat up and brown it for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in the tomato purée for 1 minute, then add half of the chopped tomatoes (200g). Simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture is thick rather than wet, as a wet filling gives soggy peppers.

Take the pan off the heat and fold in the rice, the chopped parsley and half of the grated Cheddar. Season generously with salt and pepper. The peppers dilute the seasoning, so the filling should taste slightly over-seasoned.

Take the peppers out of the oven. Pour the remaining 200g of tomatoes and 100ml of water around them and season the sauce. Pack the filling into the peppers, mounding it slightly, then top with the rest of the Cheddar and set the lids alongside or on top.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until a knife slides easily into the pepper walls, the edges are lightly charred and the cheese is golden. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve with the tomato juices spooned over.