Pepper-y Recipes!

Stir-Fried Swiss Chard and Red Peppers

Ingredients:

·         1 tablespoon soy sauce (low-sodium if desired)

·         1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry

·         2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil

·         1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

·         1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, preferably white pepper

·         1/4 teaspoon sugar

·         1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil

·         1 tablespoon minced garlic

·         1 tablespoon minced ginger

·         1 pound Swiss chard, preferably rainbow chard, stems trimmed, washed in two changes of water and cut crosswise in 1/2-inch strips

·         1 medium red bell pepper, cut in 1/4-by-2-inch julienne (1 cup julienne)

·         1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or minced red onion

·         1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (optional)

·         Cooked quinoa, brown or red rice, or rice noodles for serving

Directions:

1.   In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Combine the salt, pepper and sugar in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.

2.   Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two in the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting it back and forth. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the chard, and stir-fry for two minutes, until the leaves wilt. Add the red pepper and spring onion or red onion. Turn the heat to high, and stir-fry for one minute, or until the pepper begins to soften. Add the salt, pepper and sugar. Toss together, and add the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for two to three minutes until the chard leaves are tender and the stems and red peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in the cilantro, and serve over cooked quinoa, rice or rice noodles.

Spinach and Red Pepper Frittata

Ingredients:

·         1 bunch spinach, washed and stemmed

·         2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·         2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut in small dice

·         1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced

·         10 fresh marjoram leaves, chopped

·         Salt

·         8 eggs

·         Freshly ground pepper

·         2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Directions:

1.   Steam the spinach above an inch boiling water until just wilted, about two minutes; or wilt in a large frying pan with the water left on the leaves after washing. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Chop fine, and set aside.

2.   Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet. Add the bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, stir for about half a minute, and stir in the chopped spinach and the marjoram. Stir together for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.

3.   Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, milk, spinach and red peppers. Clean and dry the pan, and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Drop a bit of egg into the pan; if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

4.   Turn the heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid, tilt the pan, and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula so that it doesn’t burn. The bottom should turn a golden color. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

5.   Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for one to three minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking, and allow it to cool for at least five minutes and for as long as 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

Grilled Eggplant and Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

·         2 1/2 pounds eggplants

·         2 green or red bell peppers, or 1 of each

·         3 to 6 mildly hot chilies, like anaheims

·         Salt to taste

·         2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

·         1 garlic clove, puréed

·         2 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·         2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, mint or cilantro

Directions:

1.   Prepare a hot grill. Pierce the eggplants in several places with the tip of a knife. Grill the eggplants, peppers and chilies, turning them every four to five minutes until blackened all over and soft. The chilies will be done first, then the bell peppers, then the eggplants (timing depends upon the size). Remove the chilies and bell peppers, place in a bowl and cover tightly. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the eggplant as it’s done to the bowl. Cover and allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Pour off any liquid from the bowl.

2.   Peel and seed the peppers. Cut into small dice. Peel the eggplant if desired, and chop and toss with the peppers. Add salt to taste, the lemon or lime juice, garlic, olive oil and herbs. Stir together well, and let sit for another 30 minutes or longer if possible. Serve at room temperature.

Pureed Red Pepper and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

·         2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle for serving

·         1 medium onion, chopped

·         1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

·         Salt, preferably kosher

·         4 plump garlic cloves, green shoots removed, minced

·         1 tablespoon tomato paste

·         2 pounds (4 large) red bell peppers, seeded, membranes removed, cut in large dice

·         2 teaspoons sweet paprika

·         1 pound russet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and diced

·         2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

·         A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each thyme and parsley, tied together in a bundle

·         Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1.   Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot, and add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, and then add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Stir for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened, and then add the peppers, paprika, and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2.   Add the potatoes, stock, and bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, one to two teaspoons, cover and simmer over low heat for one hour. Remove the bouquet garni.

3.   Blend the soup until smooth in an immersion blender, or in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Work in batches, and cover the blender lid or food processor with a kitchen towel to prevent the hot soup from splashing. Strain the soup through a medium strainer, pushing it through the strainer with a spatula or the bowl of a ladle, and return to the heat. Heat through, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Garnish with garlic croutons and slivered fresh basil or chopped thyme, and drizzle a few drops of olive oil over each serving if desired.