Roasted Shishito Peppers

Roasted Shishito Peppers

Adapted from Shelley Marks, Silver Lake Farms

Shishito peppers are a lovely little member of the capsicum family. They are Japanese in origin and get their name from the Japanese word for lion, shishi, because their tip is said to resemble a lion. I’m not sure I see it, but it’s a nice story.

About 10% of shishito peppers are hot. The rest are mild, which makes it kind of fun if you don’t mind the occasional burst of heat.

Shishitos are great for roasting. They’re small and have a thin skin. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. I find that poking a hole in the tip will prevent the peppers from bursting open before they’re done.

There are many Japanese preparations for shishitos, such as tempura-battered and fried or roasted and sprinkled with togarashi. But I like shishitos best tossed with a small amount of olive oil, roasted, and sprinkled with sea salt.

If you want to get fancy, try stuffing the roasted shishitos with goat cheese and serving them on a bed of Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce (see recipe from September 24, 2010) or your favorite tomato sauce.

To roast shishitos:

Heat an indoor or outdoor grill pan to medium hot.  While the pan is heating, toss 1/2 lb shishito peppers with 1-2 t olive oil.  When the pan is hot, add the peppers in a single layer and roast, stirring occasionally, until the skins of the peppers are mostly blackened.  You don’t want them completely blackened.  Remove from the heat and sprinkle with sea salt.

To stuff roasted shishitos:

Slit the roasted peppers lengthwise.  Carefully insert about a teaspoon or two of goat cheese into each pepper.  You may want to roll the goat cheese between your palms to shape it so it fits inside the pepper.  Serve on a bed of your favorite homemade tomato sauce.

You can season the goat cheese with herbs or black pepper, or even mix in a small amount of carmelized onion or roasted garlic before shaping and stuffing into the peppers.

Spicy Zucchini Soup

Adapted from Elise Bauer on Simply Recipes (serves 4)

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno chile (or more to taste, depending on how spicy you would like the soup to be), seeds, stems and ribs removed and discarded, chopped

3 chopped garlic cloves

2 pounds chopped zucchini (skin on), about 5-6 cups

1 1/2 cups chopped day-old bread

3 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)

1 cup water

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (spearmint), loosely packed, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed, chopped (optional

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Cook onions and jalapeno chile in olive oil for 4-5 minutes on medium-high heat. Onions should be translucent but not browned. Stir in zucchini and garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Season with a dash of salt.  Mix in broth, water and bread and bring the pot to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Once you’re done, turn off the heat and stir in mint and cilantro and use a stick blender or food processor to puree the soup. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Eat hot or cold

Perfectly Grilled Carrots

Adapted from Amelia Saltsman

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 ½ to 2 pounds large carrots 

Olive oil

Kosher or sea salt

Some optional seasonings: crushed or ground chipotle chiles or red pepper flakes, ground cumin, turmeric, coriander, smoked paprika

1 lemon, optional

1/4 cup coarsely chopped herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, or oregano, depending on spices used, optional

Cut carrots on the diagonal into longest possible oval slices, 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.

Have a bowl of ice ready. Cook carrots in salted boiling water until color brightens and carrots are slightly flexible, 2 minutes. Drain and immediately toss carrots with ice and cold water to stop the cooking process and preserve their color. Drain and pat carrots dry. Carrots may be prepared a day ahead to this point and refrigerated covered.

Heat grill or grill pan to medium or medium-high. Toss carrots with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, about ½ teaspoon salt, and any other ground spices. Spread carrots on hot grill surface and grill until the top surface looks a little blistered and the underside has nice grill marks, but are not burnt, about 4 minutes (adjust grill heat accordingly to slow down or speed up cooking time as needed). Turn and grill second side.

Place carrots on a serving platter and drizzle with a little more olive oil if you’d like and additional salt and seasonings. Zest lemon over carrots, if using, and add a nice squeeze of the juice. Scatter herbs over all.

Squash Souffle'

2 lbs. summer squash                    

2 leeks                                        

Salt and Pepper                                           

1 cup milk                                   

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbsp. melted butter

3 tbsp. flour

8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Buttered breadcrumbs

      

Combine squash, leeks, salt and paper, cover with water and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and mash well. Stir in milk, eggs, melted butter, flour and cheese. Add salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole for about 30 minutes. Top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake for about 10 minutes more minutes.

Herb-Leek Tart

Adapted from Martha Stewart, July 2009

Yield 
Serves 6

Ingredients

            Pate Brisee

            All-purpose flour, for surface

            2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed well

            1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

            2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

            1/2 cup heavy cream

            2 tablespoons creme fraiche

            1/2 cup grated Comte or Gruyere cheese

            1/4 cup chopped mixed delicate herbs (such as tarragon, basil, chives, parsley, or chervil)

            1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

            Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pate brisee into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 4 1/2-by-13 3/4-inch rectangular tart pan (available at williams-sonoma.com), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Fold under overhanging edges, pressing firmly against pan, to double thickness of crust sides. Prick bottom with a fork. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.

2.     Line dough with parchment cut to fit, and top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, and bake until bottom is golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

3.     Meanwhile, saute leeks in butter over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until leeks are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer leeks to a bowl, and let cool slightly.

4.     Add eggs and yolk, cream, creme fraiche, cheese, herbs, and salt to leeks, and stir to combine. Season with pepper. Spoon filling into cooled tart shell. Bake until filling is set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Cook's Note

Comte cheese is available at specialty-food stores and some grocery stores. Gruyere cheese, which is similar in texture but a bit stronger in flavor, may be substituted.