A favorite of ours to preserve, but is good fresh too. Adapted from Preserving by Oded Schwarz
1 eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 t salt
1 T oil
1 t sesame seed
1 bulb garlic, peeled
1 small onion, minced
1 hot pepper, seeded and minced
1 c cider vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1t paprika
Toss the eggplant with salt and set aside. Drain, rinse, pat dry
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and add the sesame seeds over high heat, cook until the seeds begin to pop.
Add the eggplant, garlic, peppers, and onion and cook, stirring regularly. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the eggplant is soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook until thickened. Add a few mint leaves if desired. Allow to cool before serving. Will keep for a while in the refrigerator, and improves with age. Goes great with lamb!
Harissa
A middle eastern spread of red peppers - it's an excellent spread on pita bread, or a accompaniment to roast meat
- 3 large red bell peppers
- 2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 red jalapeños or Fresno chiles, stemmed, seeded, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Roast peppers in broiler or directly over gas flame, turning occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and let stand 15 minutes. Stem, peel, and seed peppers; coarsely chop.
- Place peppers, next 4 ingredients, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor. Purée until very smooth. With machine running, gradually add oil. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Stuffed Peppers
1 lb ground beef
2 c cooked rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
Herbs and spices of your choosing - basil, oregano, thyme are great candidates
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c grated cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
4-6 Bell peppers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Brown the beef over medium heat. Scoop out of the pan and set aside. In the same pan, without wiping out the beef fat, sautee the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until just softened. Add the cooked beef and rice to the pan and cook until everything is well heated. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture and top with some of the cheese. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking pan that will just hold them all.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve immediately and/or freeze for winter.
Variation: Substitute the beef for lamb, the cheddar or Monty for feta and use basil and mint for the herbs for a middle eastern twist on the dish.
Baked Peppers for Summer Lunch
From Nigel Slater's Tender
2-4 Large Peppers
Small or Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
Olive OIl
Basil
Salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. And place into a roasting pan large enough to hold all the pepper halves.
Place 1-2 basil leaves in each pepper. Then fill each pepper with chopped tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the peppers and tomatoes are soft and blistered, about 45 minutes. Serve with a fresh baguette.
Turnip Greens
1 Bunch Turnip Greens, chopped
1 T Butter or Bacon Grease
1/4 c Chopped Bacon, Ham, or Smoked Pork Hock
1 c Water or Stock
1 Shallot or Small Onion, minced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
Salt to taste
In a heavy skillet, over medium-high heat melt the butter or grease. Add the bacon/ham/pork and cook until just browned. Add the shallot/onion and garlic, and cook until translucent. Add the greens and liquid and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the greens are very soft and tender. Remove the greens from the skillet. Increase the heat and reduce the liquid until syrupy. Drizzle over greens and serve immediately.