Fried Jimmy Nardello Peppers with Halloumi Cheese
Golden, gooey cheese nuggets are tossed with peppers and lemon for this flavorful starter.
Ingredients:
8 ounces halloumi cheese
2-3 Jimmy Nardello peppers
Juice from half of a lemon
2-4 tablespoons olive oil for frying
Pinch red pepper flakes
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Drain the halloumi and cut it into cubes, then pat cubes very dry with paper towels. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stem and any seeds. If there are any large, thick ribs, remove them as well, then slice the peppers in half inch slices.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat, adding more as needed to evenly coat the bottom of the skillet. When hot, add the cubes of halloumi and peppers and cook for a few minutes without stirring, until the bottoms of cheese are well-browned, and peppers begin to char.
3. Flip the halloumi and peppers with a pairs of tongs. Once cheese is browned on both sides, remove to a paper-towel lined plate; continue to cook and toss the peppers until they are as soft and blackened as you’d like, about 5 minutes more.
4. Transfer the fried cheese and peppers to a bowl along with any oil in the pan. Grind black pepper over the cheese, add the red pepper flakes and the lemon juice. Stir well, and serve warm or at room temperature.
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Pan-Fried Peppers with Lemon & Garlic
Seasoned with slivered garlic, this Bon Appetit recipe is a favorite for enjoying fresh peppers.
Ingredients:
½ pound Jimmy Nardello peppers, or any combination of late summer peppers, left whole
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more for serving
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Method:
1. Heat heavy large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl skillet to coat. Heat until oil is very hot and begins to shimmer, about 1 minute.
2. Add whole peppers and ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt; stir constantly until peppers are blistered over half their surface, occasionally shaking skillet, about 2 minutes. Add thinly sliced garlic and continue to stir constantly until the peppers are blistered all over, about 2 minutes longer (some will be soft and some will be slightly firm, depending on size).
3. Transfer peppers to paper towels to drain briefly, then place in a medium serving bowl. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice; sprinkle generously with additional coarse sea salt and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
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Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Tossed with garlic, red onion and red pepper flakes, sautéed sprouts add sweet, nutty appeal to this comforting seasonal pasta from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters.
Ingredients:
4 cups Brussels sprouts
½ cup chopped red onion
3 cloves peeled garlic
1 pound pasta (farfalle, penne or orrechiette)
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut the stem out of each sprout and separate the leaves. (Thinly slice the tiny hearts if you can’t tease apart all the leaves.) Fill a large pot with salted water for the pasta; once boiling, add the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan, add a little olive oil, toss in the sprout leaves, salt and pepper to taste and sauté for about a minute over very high heat.
3. Add red onion and a pinch of hot pepper flakes and continue to sauté until sprouts are tender and a little browned, 2-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and toss in garlic. (If garlic appears to be browning, add a splash of water to the pan.) Squeeze a little lemon juice onto the sprouts, and once pasta is done, drain and add to pan and toss together. Adjust seasonings to taste; serve drizzled with high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
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Fried Corona Beans with Kale-Lemon Pesto
Pan-fried and then tossed with a bright kale-lemon pesto, these crispy beans are incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked Corona beans (see method)
1 bunch Tuscan black kale
¾ cup Grana-style cheese
¾ cup toasted pecans
Zest and juice of 1-2 lemons
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch salt
Method:
1. To prep the pesto: Roughly remove stems from kale. Add kale to a pot of boiling water. Stir and cook about 45 seconds, then remove and rinse with cold water. Pick up kale with your hands and mold into a ball, squeezing out all the excess water. Set aside. In a food processor, add the lemon zest, juice, salt, nutmeg, garlic and pecans. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop. Add in the kale, and pulse while adding olive oil. Taste for salt and add more oil if it is too dry.
2. Add 1-2 tablespoons additional olive oil to coat a large frying pan. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add beans in a single layer. Stir to coat the beans, then let them sit long enough to brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3-4 minutes. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside.
3. Add kale-lemon pesto to the beans and toss to combine. Remove from heat and serve lightly sprinkled with additional Grana cheese.
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Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic
A rustic and beautiful side dish, these easy pan-fried mushrooms taste meaty and garlicky, yet delicate and fresh.
Ingredients:
1 pound Oyster mushrooms, cleaned and cut into evenly sized pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms to the skillet in one single layer.
2. Cook the mushrooms for 2 minutes, or until golden. Flip over the mushrooms and add the smashed garlic to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low; season with salt and pepper and continue to cook the mushrooms until they start to brown, spooning the butter over the mushrooms as they cook.
3. Remove from heat. Add more salt and pepper, as needed, and serve.
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Chickpea Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Peppers & Feta
This simple salad comes together in minutes, and travels well for lunches or picnics!
Ingredients:
2 cups baby chickpeas
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup mini Bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
½ cup sweet Skagit onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Chopped baby red Romaine (optional)
Method:
1. Rinse and drain chickpeas. In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, peppers, onion and fresh parsley. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and crushed garlic, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over chickpea mixture, and top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve alone, or over a bed of Romaine lettuce drizzled lightly with additional olive oil and lemon juice.
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Roasted Asparagus with Fried Duck Eggs
This easy sheet pan dish is topped with bright lemon juice.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds asparagus, trimmed of tough stems
3 duck eggs
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Put the oven rack in the center of the oven, about 5 inches below the heat source, and preheat the broiler.
2. Film the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Place the asparagus in the pan and season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat asparagus in oil. Spread out evenly and pop the pan in the oven under the broiler, cooking about 3 minutes or until the asparagus just starts to brown.
3. Being careful not to touch the pan’s handle, use the spatula to push the asparagus to the edges of the pan, leaving the center empty. Carefully break the eggs into that space. Broil 1 more minute, until egg whites are set. Remove the pan from the oven.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice over everything in the pan and give the pan another sprinkle of salt. To serve, top a generous helping of asparagus with a duck egg and serve with a side of toasted bread to sop up the excess yolk.
Variation: This dish is also lovely topped with a pat of fresh spring herb butter. To prepare combine, ¼ cup room temperature butter with 2 tablespoons of mixed, chopped herbs and a sprinkle of sea salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Roasted Broccoli with Fried Duck Eggs
This easy sheet pan dish is topped with bright lemon juice.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds Piracicaba sprouting broccoli, trimmed of tough ends and cut into florets
4 duck eggs
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Put the oven rack in the center of the oven, about 5 inches below the heat source, and preheat the broiler.
2. Film the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Place the broccoli in the pan and season generously with salt and pepper, tossing to coat the broccoli in oil. Spread out evenly and pop the pan in the oven under the broiler, cooking about 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli just starts to brown.
3. Being careful not to touch the pan’s handle, use the spatula to push the asparagus to the edges of the pan, leaving the center empty. Carefully break the eggs into that space. Broil 1 more minute, until egg whites are set. Remove the pan from the oven.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice over everything in the pan and give the pan another sprinkle of salt. To serve, top a generous helping of broccoli with a duck egg and serve with a side of toasted bread to sop up the excess yolk.
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Garlic-Ginger Beef & Vegetable Stir-Fry
Serve this fragrant stir-fry with rice or noodles; we also love topping each serving with a fried egg and extra hot sauce.
Ingredients:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly-grated ginger
1- 2 tablespoons Sun Sauce or Sriracha (optional)
1 pound stir-fry beef, thinly-sliced
2 tablespoons sesame oil or vegetable oil
8 ounces mushrooms, such as a mix of Cremini and Shiitake, washed and sliced if very large
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed of any tough ends
1 bunch Senposai greens
1 Lotus root, peeled, trimmed of root ends and thinly-sliced into rounds
1 yellow onion, cut into slices
1 bunch scallions, trimmed of root ends and minced
Method:
1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and Sun Sauce until combined.
2. Put the beef slices in a plastic baggie or bowl. Pour ¼ cup of the garlic-ginger sauce over the pork and mix to coat evenly. Marinate at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. Place remaining garlic-ginger sauce in the fridge as well.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the sesame or vegetable oil and the pork. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pork from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet add the other tablespoon of oil and add all the prepped vegetables and greens. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pork and remaining garlic-ginger sauce. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with scallions and sesame seeds on top, if desired.
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Meyer Lemon Bars
Finish off your Easter feast with these bright bars!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
5 eggs
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup Meyer lemon juice (from about 4-5 lemons)
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest (from about 4-5 lemons)
Pinch kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Method:
1. Liberally grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with a little bit of the softened butter. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. To prepare the crust: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, mix the softened butter, powdered sugar and kosher salt on high until well combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough begins to just stick together and clump up. Press the dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan with your hands. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just starting to brown.
3. Meanwhile, make the topping: In the same mixing bowl, mix together the 5 eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, a pinch of kosher salt and baking powder on medium-high speed until well combined and pale in color. Add the flour and mix until smooth.
4. After the crust has baked, remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325°. After the crust has cooled in the pan slightly, pour the topping in and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and top with powdered sugar, berries, lemon zest, and/or mint leaves, if desired.
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