Q). Last year you wrote about
roasting bell peppers and it has become one of my favorite ingredients
in all kinds of dishes. Any other suggestions on cooking with bell
peppers?
Rita Simon, Via e-mail
A). Bell peppers are colorful, versatile,
delicious and a healthy source of vitamins A and C. Often described as
the Christmas ornaments of the vegetable world, bell peppers contain a
gene that eliminates capsaisin, the chemical that makes other peppers
hot. At most any market now you can find them in red, yellow, green and
orange, each having slightly different flavors.
|
|
|
|
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Recipe
4 large bell peppers of any color
2 1/2 cups precooked rice (jasmine or wild rice)
3 T. chopped capers
1/2 cup chopped prosciutto
1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup of green olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small diced zucchini
1/4 cup fresh parsley
6 T. olive oil
salt & pepper
3 cups chopped tomatoes (San Marzano if you can find them)
1 t. finely chopped lemon zest
1 T. chopped fresh basil
2 garlic clovesPrepare a
sauce by heating the garlic in 2 Tbs. of oil. Add the chopped tomatoes,
fresh basil and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until
slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. |
|
|
|
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut off the
tops of the peppers, and clean out the membranes. Chop the meat off two
of the pepper tops. In a pan over medium heat, sauté the onions, chopped
pepper, and zucchini until tender in 2 T. of oil. Mix together the
sautéed ingredients with the rice, olives, capers, pine nuts, prosciutto
and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff each pepper fairly
firmly and place the four peppers in a baking dish upright. Add one cup
of water to the baking dish, drizzle with the 2 Tbs. of the oil and bake
for about 30 minutes until tender. Serve hot or at room temperature with
some of the tomato sauce. This is a vegetarian version, although
stuffing bell peppers with ground meat is a classic. If you want to
include ground sausage, beef, lamb or turkey, just make sure it is
cooked before you add it to the stuffing mixture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~ |
Readers: Here
are more pictures from last month’s trip to Spain, which reminded me of
a couple of other interesting food encounters. At stands in an open
market near the ship in Cadiz, there was a man serving sliced boiled ham
from the whole leg with pickles, slice bread and wine. Now that’s a
sandwich! Also, a woman in a traditional costume using a portable pizza
oven to warm empanadas, sort of a Spanish version of the Italian
calzone, filled with tuna, fish, beef or vegetables. There was even a
vendor with an enormous selection of dried herbs for anything that ails
you. I was looking for something for gas (for my wife, of course).
 |
|
|
|
|
~~~~~ |
Q). We celebrate our anniversary
every year at the Whaling Station. Both my husband and I were born and
raised here and I have been patronizing your restaurant since it opened
all those years ago! Would you bring back your cream of curry soup
someday? Or maybe we could get the recipe?
C.B Sellars, Via e-mail
A). Time for the return of the curry
soup with coconut? Even though it hasn’t been on the menu for many
years, every so often I get requests for it. This soup was invented,
like many other recipe stories, one night when I ran out of the soup of
the day. I threw together a little of this, and little of that and
bingo! – curry soup. I still haven’t given out the recipe, but if you
ask for it, we’ll whip some up for you.
Q). John do you offer a mushroom
hunting class in Monterey?
Dave, Via e-mail |
|
|
|
|
A). Not right now – try the
Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz (www.fungusfed.org)
or the Mycological Society of San Francisco (www.mssf.org).
They have scheduled meetings, forays and newsletters you can sign up
for. Locally, mushrooms are still popping. I had a guy come by the house
with a shopping bag loaded with black trumpets last Friday afternoon. We
traded wine for trumpets and that night I prepared a risotto of you know
what. What a wonderful risotto it was. Our special guest that evening
was an enchanting German actor, artist, writer and musician - Armin
Mueller-Stahl (Avalon and the Power of One among 120 movies and
television shows he’s appeared in). Q).
After barbequing a half of a Salmon, I produce ragged individual
servings of what was once a nice piece of fish. I was wondering if you
could offer any suggestions on how to slice the cooked fish which
|
|
|
would look more appetizing. We are
locals and enjoy your restaurants from time to time. Regards, Armand
Labbe Carmel A). Ok, Armand here's
the secret - use my grill for one thing, or cut fish into serving size
pieces first, my boy! Here are the most important rules. First, make
sure the grill is hot, and then spray the grill with some Pam or wipe
with oil. Next, rub the fish with butter and oil, season to your liking,
place on the grill and DON'T TOUCH! I mean, don't touch. This is where
everyone screws up. After 6 to 8 minutes, carefully roll the fish over
and, again, don't touch. Your heat source should be medium to
medium-high. If you're using a Webber, you should use the cover - but it
will cook faster. The fish is done when it is no longer opaque. If you
do happen to burn or break it up - eat it or give it to the cat.
|
|
