Pickled Peppers
These addictive peppers are wonderful for snacking, or served with burgers, tacos and sandwiches.
Ingredients:
4 cups assorted peppers (such as this week’s sweet Italian peppers, plus other favorite varieties!)
1½ cups distilled white vinegar
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
Method:
1. Stem peppers and, leaving seeds, cut into ¼-inch rings, then pack in a clean 1 quart jar.
2. Bring vinegar, all remaining ingredients, and 1½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour hot brine over peppers; seal jar. Let cool, then refrigerate. Serve within 1 month.
Italian Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette
This adaptation of the pungent vinaigrette from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables is magical drizzled over roasted vegetables or salad greens!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup golden raisins
3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves
⅓ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Put the vinegar and raisins in a little bowl and let the raisins plump for about 30 minutes.
2. Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the capers and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add the parsley and pulse again until completely chopped.
3. Add in the raisins and vinegar and pulse until the mixture is blended, but still slightly coarse. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil to make a slightly chunky dressing. Taste and adjust with salt or more oil, if needed.
Pepper, Fennel & Onion Relish
Jimmy Nardello peppers lends themselves perfectly to this classic trio—an excellent condiment-style topping for sandwiches, scrambled eggs or even crostini!
Ingredients:
4 Jimmy Nardello peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 red or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toss together all ingredients with ½ teaspoon salt in a large shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Turn over and stir, then broil 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.
Slow-Roasted Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
These roasted beauties are incredibly sweet and juicy.
Ingredients:
1 pound Sungold cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 300°. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the tomatoes with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tomatoes to the prepared rack
2. Roast the tomatoes until skins are shriveled but tomatoes are still plump, about 1½ hours. Let tomatoes and their juices cool to room temperature.
Variations: For added punch, toss tomatoes with your favorite fresh herb, such as thyme or oregano, or minced garlic, before roasting.
