Grilled Sausages with Peppers and Onions

Posted on June 6, 2012 by bilrob

Grilled Sausages with Peppers and Onions

Whenever I can’t decide what to serve for dinner with friends, I fall back on this reliable sausage and peppers recipe. Everyone loves it, especially me, because it is easy, looks great, and tastes fantastic. If your market carries them, use the light green Cubanelle frying peppers, which have a little more flavor than the standard bell pepper.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pure olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
4 Cubanelle (frying) or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 sweet or hot Italian sausages, pricked with a fork

Preparation:

Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (450 degrees Fahrenheit).
To make the peppers and onions: Place a large flameproof skillet on the cooking grate. Add the oil and garlic. Cook, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. Season the peppers with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, brush the cooking grate clean and lightly oil the grate. Reduce the grill temperature to medium heat (350 degrees Fahrenheit). If using a charcoal grill, the coals will have burned down to this temperature. (If you can hold your hand just above the cooking grate for 3 to 4 seconds, the temperature is correct.) Grill the sausages, with the lid closed as much as possible, occasionally turning the sausages, until they are browned and show no sign of pink when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Remove from the grill.
Return the skillet to the grill. Bury the sausages in the peppers and simmer to marry the flavors, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve hot.

Recipe courtesy of Rao’s on the Grill by Frank Pellegrino, Jr.

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Peppers can be cooked or not before they're stuffed

Posted on June 4, 2012 by bilrob

Peppers can be cooked or not before they’re stuffed

QUESTION: When making stuffed peppers, do you boil the peppers before stuffing? What are some stuffing mixtures? — Bobbi Lang, Trenton

ANSWER: Some recipes call for blanching the peppers to soften them slightly; others do not. Green peppers at a local store were stuffed with a raw ground meat mixture and looked as though they were not boiled or blanched. If you bake peppers this way, they will take longer to cook and will hold their shape better. If you blanch the peppers and stuff them with raw ingredients, they could become too soft and fall apart during baking. So it’s easier to stuff blanched peppers with an already-cooked mixture.

To prepare any color of bell peppers for stuffing, cut about 1/4-inch off the stem end and remove the core, seeds and, if desired, the ribs. You can reserve the top and place it back on the pepper once it is stuffed. Cut a small slice off the bottom so the peppers stand upright. Or cut the peppers in half lengthwise, cutting through the stem, for a slightly different presentation. For these, also cut a small sliver off the underside so they stay still in the baking dish.

To blanch peppers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and have ready a bowl of ice water. Place the peppers in the boiling water for 2 minutes — set a timer so you don’t overcook them. Using tongs, remove the peppers and plunge them in ice water to stop the cooking. Stuff according to your recipe. Place the stuffed peppers in a shallow baking dish, add a little bit of water, cover and bake about 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Uncover and top with some shredded cheese or a sauce if desired.

Here are a few stuffing ideas from the Free Press Test Kitchen. For stuffing four whole peppers, start with 1 pound of ground meat and use about 11/2 cups cooked rice and about 3/4 cup or more of a binding ingredient, such as bread cubes. You can use a condensed soup base or even barbecue sauce to hold the mixture together, as well as cheese.

For a meat stuffing, consider lean ground beef, ground chicken or turkey breast, and sausage. One of my new favorite ingredients is Hot Turkey Italian sausage. It comes in links and you can cut away the casing and brown the sausage in a pan, breaking it up as it cooks.
For vegetarian stuffing, try chopped or sliced sautéed mushrooms or peppers. Mini baby bellas or hearty portabella mushrooms or cremini mushrooms work well.
For a binding ingredient, use 11/2 cups cooked white or brown rice, cooked couscous or bulgur, cooked quinoa or cooked small pasta such as orzo or ditalini. Or try fresh bread crumbs or panko-style bread crumbs, or seasoned bread cubes, such as those in a stuffing mixture.
HAVE A QUESTION? Contact Free Press Test Kitchen director SUSAN M. SELASKY noon-3 p.m. Thursdays at 313-222-6432 or [email protected]

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Sauces, spices and grilling

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

Sauces, spices and grilling

Grilling is all about cooking great-tasting food for friends and family. Whether it’s meat, vegetables or fruit, the key to delicious grilled food is creating layers of flavor through the use of rubs, pastes and marinades. How do you know which one to use and when? Here’s a little help:

» Dry rubs. Dry rubs combine herbs and spices and are applied to meat before grilling. Unlike marinades, glazes and sauces, dry rubs don’t burn when meat is grilled. Rubs generally are applied hours before grilling and allowed to permeate the meat while refrigerated. You even can apply dry rubs then freeze meat for later use.

Always sprinkle the rub on the meat, fish or poultry, then massage it in for good coverage. Any rub that comes in contact with the meat needs to be discarded if it is not used to avoid cross contamination.

» Wet rubs. Add a liquid, such as mustard, olive oil, horseradish or yogurt, to a dry rub, and you’ve got a wet rub or paste. Wet rubs or pastes should be applied to meat just before putting items on the grill, since liquid releases a rub’s intensity, and flavors begin to fade quickly.

» Marinade. A marinade is a mixture of acid, oil and spices designed to tenderize meat while adding flavor. Use acids such as vinegar, wine, citrus juice, yogurt or buttermilk. Oils, which help lock in flavor and prevent loss of moisture, can be olive, sesame, canola or peanut oils, mayonnaise or salad dressings. And use the spices of your choice to create flavors your palate enjoys.

Marinades usually are applied in advance, and refrigerated, so meat has a chance to tenderize. Placing meat and a marinade in a resealable plastic bag makes for easy cleanup. Don’t allow fish or seafood to sit in the marinade very long because the acid actually will begin to cook it. A good rule of thumb for safe grilling is to discard any marinade after removing the meat. If you want to use some of the marinade for a sauce at serving time, reserve it prior to adding the meat.

» Mops. Mops are used for basting, thus adding flavor and moisture while items are on the grill or smoker for extended periods of time. Unlike glazes or sauces, mops are thin and watery and are applied with brushes that resemble miniature mops, thus the name. To add tenderness, use an acid mop like vinegar. To add flavor, use beer, wine, Worcestershire sauce, or fruit juices or a combination of these. Avoid anything with sugar, as it will burn quickly. Try to coordinate the flavor of the mop with the flavor of the dry rub.

» Glazes and sauces for grilling. Thick, sweet glazes or sauces are full of flavor and brushed on during the last few minutes of grilling or served on the side. Because glazes and sauces contain sugar, they burn very easily and should be used sparingly over the heat. Jams, marmalades and preserves are a great base to create almost-instant glazes.

Sirloin with Herb Butter and Charred Peppers

Serves: 6 / Preparation ti
me: 10 minutes (plus chilling time) / Total time: 45 minutes

2 1/4 pounds sirloin, at least 1 1/2 inches thick, cut into 6 portions, or 1 bone-in, double-cut rib eye steak (about 2 1/2 inches thick, about 2 1/2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat

1 0.5-ounce package dried porcini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon packed light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, divided

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 green onions, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces assorted red, yellow and orange baby bell peppers

Juice of 1 lemon

Set the sirloin pieces on a plate.

(If using a bone-in rib eye, place the steak flat on a board; tie kitchen twine tightly around the sides (including the bone) to help the steak keep its shape during cooking.)

Grind the mushrooms in a spice grinder or blender; transfer to a bowl and mix with the garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary, red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons salt. Cut several slits all over the steak; fill each slit with some of the mushroom mixture, then rub the rest all over the meat. Transfer the steak to a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before grilling.

Meanwhile, combine the butter, green onions, parsley, remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 tablespoon rosemary, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat a grill to medium-high, then prepare for indirect heat: For gas, turn off the burners on one side. For charcoal, push the coals to one side. Brush the steak with the olive oil, then place on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 110 to 120 degrees, about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness. Move the steak to the hotter side of the grill (direct heat) and cook until the thermometer registers 125 degrees, about 2 to 3 more minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes, spreading with some of the herb butter.

Meanwhile, start grilling the peppers over direct heat, turning, brushing with the lemon juice and seasoning with salt, until charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Top the steak with more herb butter and serve with peppers.

Adapted from Food Network magazine, June 2012 issue. Tested by Susan M. Selasky in the Free Press Test Kitchen. 469 calories (61% from fat), 31 grams fat (13 grams sat. fat), 10 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein, 1,324 mg sodium, 90 mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.

Bill & Sheila’s Barbecue and grilling

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Plentiful red peppers make for flavorful dip

Posted on May 22, 2012 by bilrob

Plentiful red peppers make for flavorful dip

“Back again?” (No smile)

That’s the response I got from the cashier when I returned to my local market for the third time in three days.

“Wow, you must really love peppers.” (Eye roll)

That’s what she said when I gently placed my nine red bell peppers on the conveyor belt. That’s after having bought six the previous day and three before that, all with the same cashier. Does she ever go home?

I took umbrage neither to her eye rolling nor to her indelicate handling of my pristine peppers. If she doesn’t realize the mind-blazing deal of red bell peppers 3 for $1, then I can’t help her. I also won’t be sharing my garlicky roasted red pepper and almond dip with her. So, there.

You may roast your own red peppers, as I sometimes do, but for the sake of simplicity, this recipe calls for roasted peppers from a jar. The recipe is inspired by my friend Simona from the authentically Italian blog Briciole (http://briciole.typepad.com/). If you visit her blog, you’ll feel like you just spent some time under the Tuscan sun.

One for the Table is an online food magazine. For more information, visit www.oneforthetable.com

Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Dip

From Susan Russo.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted
1 1/4 cups drained roasted red peppers
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
A couple of pinches of salt
In a small pan over medium-low heat, warm olive oil. Add red pepper flakes and sliced garlic, and saute until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as it can burn quickly! Remove from heat.
Grind almonds in a food processor. Add garlic-oil, roasted red peppers, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Process until a thick sauce forms. Taste, and salt as desired. Cover and refrigerate, but bring to room temperature before serving.
Makes just over 1 cup or 8 servings.
Per serving (per 2 tablespoons): 93 calories; 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 77 percent calories from fat); 4 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 286 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber.

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Growing peppers, hot and hotter

Posted on May 10, 2012 by bilrob

Growing peppers, hot and hotter

Pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville’s famous rating system, developed in 1912, started with a cocktail of powdered peppers extract dissolved in alcohol and mixed with sugar water. For each of the peppers, testers sipped a series of dilutions until they could no longer detect any burn. You’d think that they’d do it the other way around, adding pepper until it becomes noticeable, much like a hearing test in which you press a buzzer as soon as you hear a sound. That’s what Craig Dremman of the Redwood City Seed Co. did when he created his Craig Dremman’s Hotness Scale. His and Sue Dremman’s hot pepper offerings are a treasury of diversity.

Today, Scoville’s test is not much in use, even though his heat units still are. Pepper heat — which is fueled by compounds called capsaicins — is generally measured in a lab using high-performance liquid chromatography. The results are then translated into Scoville units, using a formula.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds (which lists an even split of 19 hot and 19 sweet) rates its hots with little red pepper symbols. For example, Red Hot Lantern, a habanero, earned five peppers for its “mouth-blistering heat.” I asked Johnny’s founder Rob Johnston to explain the rating system. His response: “Steve Bellavia, our trials manager, takes a bite. Janicka Eckert, our breeder, does, too. They consult.” Bellavia is a passionate peppers-lover whose palate is one to trust. So is your own, because taste is highly subjective.

Handle pepper fruits with caution, trying subsequently not to touch sensitive areas such as your eyes. I asked Paul W. Boseland, the illustrious peppers specialist at New Mexico State University, whether it’s true that all the heat is in the seeds and ribs, not the outer flesh. He said, “Only the placenta or ribs express the capsaicinoids; the seeds do not have heat. However, when cutting the chile peppers pod, the capsaicinoids can ‘splash’ on the seeds and fruit walls, making them hot.”

In case of injury, don’t try to wash the heat compounds away, because they are soluble not in water but in fat. Cream, alcohol, sugar and something cold will, together, ease the scorched tongue. Sounds like a job for a White Russian on the rocks, made with vodka, Kahlua and cream. Goes great with salsa.

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Stuffed red and yellow peppers

Posted on May 9, 2012 by bilrob

Stuffed red and yellow peppers

This is one of our favourite dinner party starters. We also use them quite often at our barbecues. As well as the filling we have described in this recipe, you can also use rice black-pudding. The Spanish make an excellent black pudding which uses rice instead of the lumps of fat which we see in English black puddings. It is in reality, a ready-made stuffing mix, slightly seasoned, but a little bit of extra pepper does wonders.

With a little bit of careful thought you can also convert the recipe to a vegetarian or vegan dish by mixing mushrooms and lentils with onions, chopped peppers, herbs and the rice.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion (150g), chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup (150g) long-grain rice
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
250g minced veal
3 large egg tomatoes (270g), seeded, chopped
1/3 cup (55g) chopped raisins
1/4 cup (35g) pistachio nuts, toasted, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 medium red peppers (600g)
3 medium yellow peppers (600g)
1 teaspoon olive oil, extra

1 Heat oil in medium heavy-based pan, add onion, garlic and spices; cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add rice, stir to coat with oil. Add the stock, simmer, covered tightly for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stand, covered, 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork; transfer
to large bowl.

2 Add veal to heated medium pan; cook, stirring, until browned.

3 Combine veal, tomato, raisins, nuts, paste and herbs with rice mixture.

4 Cut off and reserve tops from peppers; remove and discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers in lightly greased baking dish; divide rice mixture among them, replace the tops. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven about 35 minutes or until peppers are tender and lightly browned; brush with extra oil.

suppers and buffets with Bill & Sheila

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The WorId’s First Seedless Pepper

Posted on December 22, 2011 by bilrob

The World’s First Seedless Pepper

It’s one of the home cook’s fiddliest chores. Attempting to deseed a pepper, as the little pips ‘ping’ across work tops and onto the floor, is just such a messy job. Just one rogue seed can leave a bitter taste in the mouth. But now the chore could be a thing of the past as the world’s first seedless pepper has gone on sale.

Marks & Spencer is to be the first retailer to sell the pepper, which has been created as the result of a 15 year project with Melrow salads and seed house Syngenta. The natural breeding programme, no trace of GM here, resulted in a completely seed-free fruit, that, in a happy coincidence, also has a sweeter taste than any other pepper currently on the market.

The trademarked Angello pepper is not only seedless, but also contains a 25 per cent higher level of brix (a scale commonly used to measure sweetness in fruit and vegetables) than ordinary peppers. The combination makes the Angello ideal not only for cooking, but for snacking, picnics and children’s Iunchboxes.

Zeina Orfali, M&S peppers expert, comments: ‘We know that seeds in peppers can be a real pain for our customers who want to enjoy them straight from the pack or cook speedy suppers with them, so we decided to develop the first seedless pepper so our customers can enjoy this delicious vegetable on the go – no need to deseed.’

The store’s grower, Bernard Sparkes, said it was a pleasure to work with M&S on such special projects. ‘It’s really exciting to introduce an amazing new variety of vegetable to the high street,’ he said. ‘Not only does it save time, but it tastes delicious, better than any other pepper on the high street. ‘We hope M&S customers enjoy the pepper as much as we have developing it.’ Luciano Fioramonti, Syngenta Business Manager added: ‘We hope that we’ll be able to convert people who don’t normally like peppers with our delicious Angello™, it’s the ultimate healthy convenience food!’

Grown in Southern Spain, Israel and the Netherlands, the new sweet seedless Angello™ baby pepper is a completely new variety of pepper, that is extra sweet and extra crunchy. Peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, and just one pepper contains the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C. M&S seedless Angello™ pepper will be £1.79 per pack (100g) and available from 4th December.

Grow your own pepper with Bill & Sheila

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How to grow Sweet Peppers and Chilli Peppers at home

Posted on August 13, 2011 by bilrob

How to grow Sweet Peppers and Chilli Peppers at home

Some peppers are hot, some are sweet. Some are made for drying; others to be ground into pimentón (a type of paprika from Spain) and others are grown specially to be eaten fresh in salads. The hot varieties form the basis of curries and many other dishes in Asian cuisine.

The pepper and the numerous relatives of its extended family – green, red, orange, yellow, small and spicy, large and sweet – are one of the characteristic ingredients of Spanish cooking. They can be dried and ground into powder to produce pimentón, a unique Spanish flavouring used in a variety of dishes – including paella. They can be roasted or preserved whole by various methods: in vinegar or brine, or peeled and bottled in their own juices. And of course, they can be eaten fresh, as an ingredient in one of countless Spanish recipes or summer salads all around the world. Stuffed whole peppers are common in many cuisines.

Here in Spain, we grow our own red and green peppers and a few varieties of hot chilli peppers, both for the kitchen and as decorative container plants. We freeze most of our sweet peppers for use in stews and casseroles and use them fresh in salads. They are a very healthy food and contain large amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium. If you live in a cooler climate, try growing the variety, ‘New Ace’. It is high yielding and tolerant of cooler conditions.

Cayenne peppers are very easy to grow in containers and tend to produce more flowers as you harvest the crop. We find that the hotter the weather the hotter the chilli becomes as it ripens and turns from green to red. You must be careful how you handle chillies as the capsaicin – the chemical that provides the heat – can get into your skin and cause all kinds of problems for you. Don’t rub your eyes after handling or preparing chillies and certainly don’t touch any other sensitive part of your body (or your partner’s…). Wear disposable plastic catering gloves to avoid this problem.

What to grow and how to grow them.

Sweet peppers or bell peppers as they are often called are grown in all temperate countries and are widely grown in greenhouses in Northern Europe. In Spain, and other southern European countries they grow quite successfully in open fields. These large hollow fruits are generally red when ripe, but the yellow and orange varieties are just as popular – especially for use in salads. The red and yellow varieties tend to be richer in vitamins then the green varieties.

Sow the seeds in late March or early April under glass or indoors and plant out into grow-bags or patio planters when they are about six inches high. If you have been following my mini-series of budget cookery articles, you will have learnt how to make your own stone planters. These are ideal for growing your peppers in a back yard or on the patio.

Peppers do not need a lot of feeding, especially once the fruits have formed. Harvest once the fruits turn from green to red and use sliced in salads or dice and freeze for use in casseroles. If you want to grow peppers for decorative purposes on a patio or in a conservatory, then try the yellow/orange variety of ‘Golden Ball, or the white/purple variety ‘Albino’. Seeds are readily available from any good garden centre or seed catalogue. One tip you can use, is to save the seeds and dry them out on kitchen paper for a few days. Store them in a plastic box and you have next season’s supply of pepper seed.

Hot, hot & hotter

Tabasco and Cayenne peppers are a good start if you have not grown chilli peppers previously. Even if you don’t use the chillies for culinary purposes, they make splendid pot plants. Tabasco is a Mexican shrub and the fruits are used to make the famous ‘Tabasco Sauce’. Cayenne peppers are one of the oldest varieties. Mainly grown in Asia, cayenne is very easy to grow and produces long slender fruits, which can be very hot. Dry them and powder them and you have the well-known ‘cayenne pepper’ used in Cajun, Chinese and other Asian styles of cookery.

For use in Mexican and Caribbean style cookery try growing ‘Serrano’, a truly Mexican chilli which is grown commercially all over Mexico. It is easy to grow and produces hundreds of fruits as a bush type plant. Another chilli which is grown all over Mexico and Southern USA is ‘Jalapeno’ (pronounced halapeeno), named after the town of Jalapa. It is commonly pickled or canned and is often smoked.

If you like your chillies really hot then go for ‘Habanero’, which is a thousand, times hotter than the jalapeno variety. The Habanero grows all over the Yucatan peninsula and is used a lot in Caribbean cuisine. If you need recipes for using your home-grown chillies, visit the Mexican and Caribbean pages of Bill and Sheila’s Cookbook