78 posts tagged “peppers”

Shrimp Cocktail Salad Rolls
Yields 4 servings

16 large, store-bought, peeled, de-veined and cooked shrimp, tails removed and chopped into bite-size pieces
5 radishes, thinly sliced, then stacked and julienned into matchsticks
1/4 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 scallions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced on an angle
6 stalks celery, 2 finely chopped and 4 cut into sticks
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup store-bought cocktail sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 hot dog buns, split on the top
4 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
1 bag rosemary potato chips, or any other healthy chip you like

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, radishes, bell pepper, scallions and the chopped celery. For the dressing: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, hot sauce and cocktail sauce. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the shrimp salad, toss to combine and reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, brush the hot dog buns with the melted butter. Toast in the skillet until golden brown. Fill the buns with the shrimp salad. Serve with carrot and celery sticks and healthy potato chips alongside.

Steak Fajitas
Yields 4 servings

8 flour tortillas, each 8 inches in diameter, heated
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle powder or chili powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns around the pan
1/4 head Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
1/2 pound smoked cheddar shredded
6 scallions, green part sliced on an angle
2 sliced avocados
1 cup sour cream

Preheat a grill pan or grill to medium-high. Preheat oven 200°F, wrap tortillas in a clean, wet, kitchen towel and place in oven to get warm. Drizzle steak with olive oil.

Season the steak with cumin, chipotle powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the seasoned flank steak on the grill or grill pan, cook until the meat is well-browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until well-browned on the other side and medium-rare at the center, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for several minutes.

While the steak is cooking, preheat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and let the oil start to smoke. Add the cabbage, bell peppers and red onions, toss and cook them until the veggies soften and cabbage starts to wilt, about 8 minutes. Season the veggie mixture with salt, freshly ground pepper, hot sauce and juice of 1 lime. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
 
Thinly slice the steak across the grain and transfer to a warmed platter along with the spicy veggies. Serve with scallions, avocados, sour cream and lime wedges alongside as your toppers. Top the warm tortillas with a couple of slices of meat, spicy veggies, some smoked cheddar on top and whatever toppers you want!

Stir-Fried Tofu
Serves 4

1 (14 ounces) regular tofu, firm or extra-firm, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 Chinese broccoli, stems trimmed
1 small red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced lengthwise
Coarse salt
1/4 cup whole basil, cilantro, and mint leaves
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Cut tofu in half widthwise. Keep the pieces stacked and cut lengthwise into thirds (creates six rectangles), and then cut the tofu horizontally (slicing parallel to work surface) into quarters to create 24 cubes, each about 1 inch. Press the tofu. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, curry paste, and coconut milk until blended; set aside.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the tofu and sear without moving until the cubes have browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn the tofu and sear other side until browned, about 2 minutes more. Turn and sear a third side, again for about 2 minutes. Remove tofu to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat. Add the broccoli, red pepper, 3 tablespoons of water, and salt to taste; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are almost tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Return tofu to the skillet and stir in the sauce. Cook to heat and blend flavors, about 1 minute. Serve immediately, garnishing each portion with basil, cilantro, mint, and peanuts.

Asian Pork Salad
Serves 4 to 6

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds), trimmed
Spicy Hoisin Marinade (recipe follows)
Vegetable oil, for oiling grill
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 cups fresh mint leaves
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup julienned carrots
2 red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, julienned
Ginger Dressing (recipe follows)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Arrange pork loins in a non-reactive dish with spicy hoisin marinade. Cover and marinate, turning occasionally, refrigerated, for at least 8 hours or overnight. Preheat grill to high. Allow pork to return to room temperature before cooking, about 30 minutes. Remove pork from marinade, reserving 1/2 cup. Oil grill. Grill pork, turning and occasionally brushing with marinade, until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees; to 145 degrees;, about 20 minutes. Remove from grill, and allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

In a large bowl combine cilantro, mint, scallions, sprouts, carrots, and peppers. Add ginger dressing, and toss to combine. Slice pork crosswise 1/4-inch-thick. Arrange pork and salad on a platter. Garnish with roasted peanuts.

Spicy Hoisin Marinade
Makes 3/4 cup, enough for 2 1/2 pounds meat

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 garlic, minced
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon crumbled dried chile, or crushed red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 orange

Whisk together ingredients in a nonreactive dish.

Ginger Dressing
Makes 1/3 cup

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and chile pepper. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

Grilled Beef Rolls with Scallion Soy Dipping Sauce
Makes 2 1/2 dozen

1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 scallions, green tops, cut into 3-inch lengths and sliced lengthwise; whites sliced into 1/8-inch rings
3 (one each of green, red, and yellow) bell peppers, trimmed, seeded, and cut into long, thin matchsticks
1 teaspoon olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce and brown sugar until dissolved; set aside. Cut tenderloin crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Trim off any fat or connective tissue.
Place 1 slice between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, evenly pound out the slice, keeping it roughly in a rectangular shape, until it is 1/8 inch thick. Do not overpound slices or they will begin to disintegrate. Remove plastic wrap, and transfer to a large plate. Repeat process with remaining meat.

Dip 1 slice beef in the soy sauce mixture, and place it on a clean surface. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 2 pieces of scallion green and 1 piece of each pepper across the shorter length of the beef, so that the vegetables extend over both edges by about 3/4-inch. Roll up lengthwise, and skewer near the edges with 2 toothpicks. Set aside. Repeat with remaining beef and vegetables.

Lightly brush a grill pan with olive oil, and heat until hot, or heat the oven broiler. Grill or broil beef rolls, brushing with sauce and turning, until medium rare, 2 to 4 minutes. Cut each roll in half, or cut any longer rolls into 3 pieces. In a small saucepan bring remaining sauce to a boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into a small bowl, and add scallion rings. Transfer beef rolls to a serving platter, and serve with sauce on the side.

Crisp Tofu Sandwich with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
Makes 2 Servings

1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 red bell pepper, cut into 4 long panels
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces Thai-flavored baked tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 (4 ounces) 8-inch whole-wheat baguette, or wholegrain baguette , halved horizontally
Radish sprouts for garnish (optional)

Heat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat source. Place onion slices and pepper, skin side up, on a broiler pan. Broil, turning onion over halfway through cooking time, until peppers are blistered and onion is lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel skin off pepper. Cut pepper into thick strips.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté tofu until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, honey, 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, and ginger. Toss reserved vegetables with remaining 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Spread peanut-butter mixture on bottom side of bread. Top with tofu and vegetables. Place other piece of bread on top. Cut in half to make two sandwiches. Wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate for up to two days. Serve with radish sprouts on the side, if desired.

Seafood Paella
Serves 6

3 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
2 cups low-sodium clam juice
Pinch saffron
1 cup sugar-snap peas, tough strings removed, cut in half on the bias
2 links chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 squid, (about 1 pound), cleaned and cut into 1-inch rings
1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch-long matchsticks
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch-long matchsticks
1 pound uncooked paella rice
1 pound cockles and mussels
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Olive-oil cooking spray

Place stock, clam juice, and saffron in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

Prepare an ice bath. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, and blanch sugar snap peas until bright green and just tender, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peas to ice bath; let cool. Drain, and set aside.

Coat a paella pan (or a 6-quart Dutch oven that measures 11 inches in diameter and 5 inches in height) with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and cook until well browned, turning, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add squid, and cook until opaque, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer seafood and sausage to a plate, and set aside. Add onion, garlic, and bell peppers to paella pan; sauté until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add uncooked rice; sauté until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add 4 cups reserved stock mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and cover. Cook until most liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just tender, about 10 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, place remaining cup of stock mixture, cockles, and mussels in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cover, and bring to boil. Cook until all shells have opened, 2 to 3 minutes; discard any that remain closed. Add paprika, black pepper, tomatoes, shrimp, squid, and sausage to rice mixture; combine. Add cockles, mussels, and cooking liquid to mixture, being careful to leave behind any residue in sauté pan. Stir in parsley; garnish with peas. Serve immediately.

Seafood Salad
Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali
Serves 6

6 baguettes
3 garlic, cut in half lengthwise, plus 2 cloves, thinly sliced
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
24 Prince Edward Island mussels
Juice of 1/2 lemon, lemon reserved
1 pound calamari, cleaned, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips, tentacles left whole
1/2 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1 2-pound lobster, steamed, chilled, shelled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and julienned
1 green pepper, roasted, peeled, and julienned
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns

Heat broiler or grill. Toast bread slices for 1 minute on each side. Rub one side of each slice with half of a garlic clove. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add thinly sliced garlic, 1 cup white wine, 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and mussels. Cover, and cook until they are completely open, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain, and allow mussels to cool. Remove from shells, and discard.

Prepare an ice-water bath. In a 6-quart saucepan, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil with lemon juice and lemon half, the remaining 1/2 cup wine, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes. Plunge calamari into the boiling water and cook until just opaque, 25 to 45 seconds. Remove from water with a skimmer or slotted spoon; immediately plunge into ice-water bath to stop the cooking, and drain.

In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the seafood, peppers, the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, the red-wine vinegar, chives, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with pink peppercorns and garlic toasts.

Hero Sandwich
Yields 8 servings

1 large round loaf bread
6 large portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed to 1/2 inch
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
7 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced
1 small red onion, (4 ounces), peeled, thinly sliced, and rings separated
2 large yellow peppers, roasted, peeled, and cut lengthwise into thick slices
6 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
Creamy Tomato Dressing (recipe follows)

Cut bread in half horizontally. Using a short serrated knife, carve out insides of bread, in whole pieces if possible. Using a long serrated knife, thinly slice inside pieces. Cover; set aside. Pull out any remaining bread from crusts, leaving 1/4-inch bread border. Cover crusts; set aside.

Thinly slice mushrooms. Heat a grill to medium hot, or place a grill pan over high heat. Brush mushrooms with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush fennel with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Arrange filling in bottom of bread: First, cover with half the tomatoes, then half the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; drizzle with 3 tablespoons dressing. Cover with 1 cup basil, and top with a layer of sliced bread. The second layer is made up of half the mushrooms, then salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The third layer is peppers, salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The fourth layer is the remaining mushrooms, salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The fifth layer is fennel, salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The last layer is the remaining tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper, dressing, and basil. Place top of bread on bottom half, enclosing vegetables. Wrap with plastic; weight with heavy books. Let stand 45 minutes. Unwrap sandwich. Using a large serrated knife, cut into eight wedges.

Creamy Tomato Dressing
Makes about 1 cup

3 ripe tomatoes, (12 ounces), cored
1/4 cup low-fat (1 percent) cottage cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut tomatoes into quarters; puree in a food processor. Pass through a strainer into a bowl; discard seeds and skin. Using a rubber spatula, press cottage cheese through a strainer into tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients; whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Mozzarella Panini
Makes 3

2 ciabatta rolls
1/4 cup Pesto (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Pepperonata (recipe follows)
6 thin slices fresh mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Slice off the top third of each roll. Slice remaining portions horizontally into three slices each. Preheat panini machine, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Spread three of the slices of ciabatta with pesto. Cover pesto with three slices of mozzarella each. Spread pepperonata evenly over mozzarella. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with remaining three slices ciabatta.

Place sandwiches into machine. Close machine, and cook until bread is lightly toasted and mozzarella is hot but not completely melted, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, place sandwiches in heated skillet, and weight with a heavy pan lid, then cook until golden brown on both sides, turning once after about 4 minutes.

Pesto
Makes about 3 cups

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, room temperature
2 basil, leaves only, well washed and dried
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, combine the oil, cheese, pine nuts, and butter. Process until smooth. Add basil, and pulse to desired texture. Season with salt and pepper. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Pepperonata
Makes about 4 cups

5 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In medium bowl, combine the peppers, red-pepper flakes, and thyme. Add the oil and vinegar, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit, at room temperature, for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Spread peppers on a baking sheet, and bake until tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Store refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.