Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Condiment: Peperonata

Peperonata is actually considered a stew from Italy. It is said to have Arabic influences and seems to be one those recipes that everyone has their own version of. In its simplest form it is made up of a simple mix of red, orange and yellow bell peppers, red onions and olive oil. It is a very versatile condiment tasting great with anything grilled as well as adding a punch to otherwise mild ingredients such as ricotta cheese. Peperonata is also extremely easy to make and is wonderful to serve during dinner parties as it is as bright in flavor as it is in color and strangely no well known.


My Favorite Peperonata

This recipe is from epicurious.com

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small red onions (about 12 ounces total), halved, sliced crosswise
2 pounds mixed red and yellow bell peppers (about 4 large), cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons salt-packed capers, rinsed, drained, or 2 tablespoons capers in brine, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Mix in bell peppers and crushed red pepper; sprinkle lightly with coarse kosher salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until peppers are tender and silky, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar, capers, oregano, and thyme. Increase heat to medium; stir uncovered 3 minutes. Season peperonata to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Transfer peperonata to bowl and cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Silcilian Peperonata

This recipe is from fxcuisine.com and was created by Eleonora Consoli.

4 bell peppers
1 large onion
1 small glass vinegar
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup capers
1 tbsp sugar
Mint leaves

Wash, stem and seeds the peppers. Cut in 2.5cm/1'' squares. Peel the onion and slice thinly. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan and add the onion and peppers. Heat on moderate flame. Prepare 1/4 cup pine nuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Most versions of this recipe also add capers under salt, but as I don't care for them too much Mrs Consoli instructed her assistant to leave them. Add the pine nuts and raisins to the peppers. Pour in a small glass vinegar, stir and cover. Add the sugar. Let it cook on a low flame until the peppers are soft, about 12 minutes. Pour into the serving platter, cover and set aside until dinner is ready. This dish is usually served lukewarm.

Peperonata with Jalepenos
This recipe is from the LA Times website.

Olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
5 bell peppers, preferably a mixture of red and yellow, roasted, peeled and seeded, cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup red wine
Salt
1/2 jalapeno, roasted, peeled and seeded
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bell peppers and cook briefly. Add the red wine and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, another 10 to 15 minutes. Check frequently toward the end, as the peppers will want to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, pound the jalapeno and garlic into a paste in a mortar with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the basil and parsley; pound to a paste. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and stir, grinding more with the pestle. The sauce should have a rather loose consistency, somewhat more liquid than pesto.

Stir the sauce into the peppers, taste for salt and heat through, 2 minutes. This is good hot, cold or anywhere in between.

Enjoy experimenting with you own mixture of peppers, vinegars and flavors!

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