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How To Roast Red Peppers

partysugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 05:58:32 -0700

Roasted red bell peppers are a great addition to salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and antipasto platters. I love to make my own at home, jar them and have them on hand for whenever one strikes my fancy. Large red bell peppers are sweet, not spicy and can be found in grocery stores year round - although their peak season (when they are the cheapest) is from May until August. To roast, start by washing the peppers and removing the stickers. Next you can either char them on high heat on a gas range stove by placing them directly onto the grates or roast them in the oven (which is what I like to do). Use tongs to turn the pepper to blacken on all sides. Cook on the grill the same way. If roasting in the oven, preheat to 450F. Arrange the peppers on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes until done (about 30 minutes). Whatever technique you use to blacken the peppers, once they are done place in a covered bowl or brown paper bag. As the steam from the peppers condenses, the skin becomes easier to peel off.

Once the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. You can do this with your fingers or a sharp pairing knife. Pull or cut off the top of the pepper and squeeze gently to remove the seeds. Never rinse or wash the peppers as the water will diminish the smoky flavor. When the skins and seeds have been removed cover them in oil, adding garlic slices or herbs if desired and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Bobby Flay's Sandwich Tips

partysugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:00:01 -0700

Yesterday we brought you a fun little video of Bobby Flay making sandwiches, and today we've got his tips for crafting the best 'wich! While Flay is known for his superior grill skills, he's also a sponsor for Best Foods mayonnaise and a master of sandwich making. Here's how the Iron Chef recommends building a better sandwich:

When a sandwich contains several moist ingredients (mayonnaise, tomatoes, etc), use a thick, crusty bread like ciabatta.
When putting together a simple sandwich with fewer ingredients, like ham and cheese, select thinly sliced bread.

Get the rest of Flay's fabulous suggestions when you read more.

For sandwiches on the go, separate the elements: Put the bread in one baggy, the condiments in a small Tupperware or squirt bottle, and the veggies in another baggy. Assemble just before eating.
Get creative! Instead of using lettuce, opt for other crunchy vegetables. When they come in contact with oil-based condiments, sliced cucumber and fennel won't wilt or turn soggy.
Add a kick to any sandwich with strong flavors like smoked Spanish paprika, fresh ground black pepper, chili powder, or fresh lime juice.
Make sure your sandwich is full of color. Incorporate fresh vibrant elements such as parsley leaves, finely diced red onions, or green, yellow, and red peppers.
Don't forget to have fun with your ingredients! Who says you can’t enjoy the crunch of blue corn chips on your sandwich? Why not include chopped toasted walnuts or pecans? How about dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins? The sky is the limit.
Think outside the box. By adding a creamy lemon-chive vinaigrette, you can take the classic egg sandwich from breakfast to dinner.
Make your own custom sauces. Jazz up store-made condiments with fresh herbs, citrus juice, horseradish, roasted tomatoes, olives, or chiles.

How do you make the ultimate sandwich? Share your tips with us below!

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Simple Tip: Peeling Roasted Red Peppers

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:01:51 -0800

I absolutely adore using roasted red peppers to add a gourmet touch to sandwiches, salads, and all sorts of entrees. I already gave you a primer on how to roast red peppers, but lately I've been using this easy tip for peeling them that I wanted to share.

You can roast peppers several different ways: I prefer to coat mine lightly with olive oil and blacken them in the broiler for five to 10 minutes. No matter what your method, this trick gets the blackened skins off easily. To find out how, read more.

Remove the peppers from the oven and place them on a flat surface with an overturned bowl on top, so it completely covers the peppers. The bowl will trap the heat from the peppers and fill with steam. This "steaming" process will loosen the skins so that they peel off easily.

After five to 10 minutes, remove the bowl, turn it right side up, and place it on your prep surface. Carefully peel the skins off of the peppers and drop the discarded skins into the bowl. Then, you can just toss the skins in the trash.

Do you have an easy way for peeling peppers? Let us know below!

'Wich of the Week: Chickpeas and Red Peppers at 'Wichcraft

YumSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:00:40 -0700

When it comes to expensive sandwiches, I'm rarely disappointed with 'Wichcraft. Though the creations are somewhat pricey, they're also well-made, and when the ingredients are surprising, I'll totally shell out the cash. Though now that 'Wichcraft's Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar have released a cookbook, I can save my money and make the recipes at home. Lucky for you, I just got my hands on the cookbook, and I have the recipe for the latest 'wich I grabbed at 'Wichcraft: the reasonably priced ($6.95) chopped chickpeas with roasted red peppers, black olives, lemon confit, and parsley on country bread. Though I love the anchovy and egg sandwich with a consuming passion, I decided to try something new on my last trip, and I wasn't disappointed. To find out how to make it, read more.

The country bread that 'Wichcraft uses is just perfect: crusty on the outside but with a soft, friendly give. I thought "chopped chickpeas" would just mean hummus, so I was pleasantly surprised by this spread, which is really more of a chickpea salad. Though making the chickpeas and lemon confit from scratch sounds like a lot of trouble, it could also be done far in advance, and the sandwich itself is quite simple.

Chopped Chickpeas Sandwich With Roasted Red Peppers, Black Olives, Lemon Confit, and Parsley
From 'Wichcraft: Craft a Sandwich Into a Meal - and a Meal Into a Sandwich

Ingredients

2 cups marinated chickpeas
8 slices country bread
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
4 tablespoons pitted and chopped Nicoise olives
12 slices lemon confit
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a food processor, coarsely chop the marinated chickpeas, until they're spreadable but still chunky. Evenly spread the chickpeas over 4 of the bread slices.
Top with the roasted peppers, olives, lemon confit, and parsley, in that order, and season with pepper.
Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, cut into halves, and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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Taste Test: La Famiglia DelGrosso Pasta Sauce

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Since it's easy to prepare and so versatile, I cook pasta at least once a week. Lately, I've been experimenting with various sauces and pasta shapes to see how the factors make a difference in taste, so I gave La Famiglia DelGrosso a try.

I sampled three of eight different sauces, all of which have kitschy titles named after family members. My boyfriend thought Aunt Mary Ann's Sunday Marinara was "light on flavor," but I preferred it to its competitors. A Trader Joe's pomodoro sauce tasted sickly sweet in comparison. Uncle Joe's Vodka Celebration was my favorite of the bunch: the texture was creamy, but the sauce wasn't as light in color as most commercial vodka sauces, which often are too heavy on cream.

The sauce possessed a strong umami quality (incidentally, tomatoes contain high amounts of umami). Uncle Bo's Roasted Red Pepper Tour was made with - you guessed it - roasted red peppers, and it was my sweetie's favorite of the three because of its deep, smoky flavor.

Certainly no commercial variety can replace a homemade pasta sauce, but La Famiglia sauces work in a pinch. They are available at select Whole Foods and other grocers across the country. Have you tried any of the brand's flavors? What did you think of them?

Come Party With Me: Red and Green Themed White Elephant

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:08:15 -0800

When I was little, my parents always threw a White Elephant Christmas party. I ran around in my Clara (from the Nutcracker) pajamas and watched quietly as everyone fought over the best gifts. The most memorable parties were the ones when my dad would let me pick his gift. Now that I'm all grown up I'm planning my own version of a White Elephant party with a red and green theme. Not only am I asking guests to bring a wrapped gift, I'm asking them to come dressed in red, green or a combination of both colors. To carry the theme throughout the party, I'm only making red and green food. Wanna host this party too? read more

Definition: For anyone who doesn't know exactly how a White Elephant works, here's a quick definition: a White Elephant is a type of gift exchange in which each guest is asked to bring an anonymous wrapped gift. During the party guests draw numbers to reveal the order in which they select the gifts. The person assigned with #1 picks, unwraps, and displays a gift. Next the person assigned with #2 has the choice to either steal #1's gift (#1 then must select and unwrap a gift from the pile) or open a wrapped gift. For each subsequent number, players can choose between any of the opened gifts or any of the unopened gifts. Read more on how to host a white elephant.

Invites: I am going to create an elephant stencil using the picture of this elephant (I will remove the elephant's tusks because I want a friendly elephant). Next I will cut out elephant shapes on white card stock to create an elephant shaped invite that will fit in a regular 5x7 card envelope. To make him festive you decorate with red and green glitter, sequins, ribbon, shiny paper, and thread. I'm going to give mine a necklace of red and green sequins with red and green thread. I'll make sure to put sequins on both sides of the card, then leave one side blank and put the party information on the other. At the bottom of the invite I'll write, Red and Green Attire Requested, to let guests know I want them to come dressed in bright reds and merry greens. I'll send the invites in red or green envelopes written in contrasting green and red ink.

Menu: Although you may think I'm crazy to create a whole menu with only red and green ingredients it's actually a lot easier than you realize. Tons of foods are red and green. Make three little appetizers for people to nibble on while unwrapping gifts. The first is bruschetta: the red ingredient: tomatoes, the green ingredient: basil. The second is an Italian quesadilla with roasted red peppers. The recipe calls for regular white tortillas but to get a green ingredient I'll substitute green spinach tortillas. The third and final appetizer will be meatballs in a red sauce served with green toothpicks. Put out bowls of red cherry tomatoes and green olives for guests to snack on. Red velvet cupcakes with green frosting (tinted with food coloring) and bowls of red and green M&M's round out the food. Note: Don't arrange all the food on one table, spread it around the room to create a flow for the party that promotes mingling.

Decorations: Red and green everywhere! Red and green candles, plates, napkins and tablecloths. See if you can get a few bouquets of fresh poinsettias-if not, use the fake and sparkly kind to add a super Christmasy feel. Designate a spot for guests to place their presents when they arrive. Write out the number of guests on green paper and place in a Santa hat. Place chairs together to form clusters for guests to sit on during the White Elephant.

Music: Create a red and green play list with a compilation of old and new CDs by Red Hot Chile Peppers, Green Day, or Al Green. Toss in a few Christmas classics like Green Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Drinks: Serve Heineken or Heineken Light for green and red wine for red. For a red cocktail make a red apple martini (recipe below), for a green cocktail shake up dead grasshoppers, and for a nonalcoholic option serve Shirley Temples (Sprite with grenadine).

Red Apple Martini
From Instyle (December 2003) magazine

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup finely crushed candy canes
5 cups vodka
5 cups sour-apple schnapps
7 cups apple juice

Dip martini-glass rims into a bowl of fresh lemon juice, then into a dish of finely crushed candy canes.

Mix vodka, sour-apple schnapps, and apple juice; chill several hours until start of party.

When ready to serve, mix in ice-filled shaker. Pour into glasses; garnish with apple slices.

Serves 20.

Reader Recipe: Roasted Salmon with Cucumber Tomato Dill Salad

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:13:13 -0700

I was checking out all the great recipes over on TeamSugar and came across this gorgeous roasted salmon with cucumber, tomato & dill salad posted by friedwonton. It looks perfect for a light summer meal, and I love how all the color jumps off the plate. Speaking of plate, she's even included plating directions in her recipe! To check it out, read more

This recipe was submitted by TeamSugar member friedwonton:

Ingredients
1/4 lb of salmon filet
1 lemon
1/2 tomato (you can also use grape or cherry tomatoes as well)
1/4 of a small red onion
1/2 cucumber
spring mix greens
white vinegar
olive oil
fresh dill
kosher or sea salt
ground pepper

Serving: 1

Cucumber Tomato Dill Salad
1) Cut the red onion in medium thick slices.
2) Cut the tomato into 4 wedges. If you are using grape or cherry tomatoes, cut them in halves.
3) Cut the cucumber in half and then at an angle.
4) In a large bowl, add a splash of white vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well.
I do not measure the amount of vinegar and olive oil I use, but always start with a small amount and then slowly increas the ingredients depending on your taste level.
5) Add a pinch of salt to taste. Mix well.
6) Add the fresh dill.
7) Placed the onion slices, tomatoes, and cucumber into the bowl. Coat well.
8 ) Place the salad aside in the refrigerator.
This salad can be made the day before and actually taste a lot better as it gets the chance to marinate.

Roasted Salmon
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Don't feel like heating up the big kitchen oven? You can roast the salmon in a toaster over (as I did for the picture above), cook it on the grill, or on the stove.
2) With a zester, zest half of the lemon. Set aside.
3) After zesting, cut the lemon in half.
4) Cut medium thick slices of the half lemon. Set aside
5) Drizzle and rub olive oil on the salmon.
6) Salt and pepper it all over.
7) Create a little bed of lemon slices on the roasting pan for the salmon.
8 ) Place in the oven.
For a 1/4 lb of salmon it will usually takes 12 to 15 minutes, depending how well you like your salmon to be cooked.

Plating
1) Place the salmon with the bed of lemon on one side of the plate.
2) Lightly squeeze a little bit of lemon juice on the salmon.
3) Garnish with lemon zest and a slice of lemon on top.
4) Place the spring mix greens next to the salmon.
5) Top the bed of spring mix with the cucumber tomato dill salad.
6) ENJOY!!

Taste Test: Pizza Hut's The Natural Pizza

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:29:32 -0800

Oxymoronic as it may sound, fast food chains have begun marketing their latest products as nutritious, wholesome meals. One of the best examples of this movement is Pizza Hut's new health-oriented pie, the Natural.

The Natural pizza ($9.99 for a medium with one topping) has sauce "made from vine-ripened tomatoes," all-natural toppings, and a multigrain crust that has been endorsed by the Whole Grains Council. Find out what I thought of its taste - and how healthy it really is - when you read more.

The Natural comes in three flavors: Cheese, Natural Pepperoni, and The Rustica, a blend of all-natural sausage, fire-roasted red peppers, and marinated Roma tomatoes. I sampled the first two flavors. The crust was similar to a typical Pizza Hut pizza: It was not too thick nor incredibly thin. In fact, everything about the pie was typical of Pizza Hut, except for one major difference. The crust had the distinct grainy, rough quality of whole wheat flour. It was, as one Sugar gal put it, "like eating pizza on a whole wheat pita".

The texture meant the pizza had more personality, but are the pizzas actually better for you, or is the whole "natural" aspect simply a clever positioning tactic? I did some research, and if you opt for the Natural instead of a typical Pizza Hut pizza, you might shave a fat gram, consume 20 calories less, and gain some fiber. So I suppose if you appreciate the texture of whole wheat, the Natural is an attractive alternative to the, well, not-so-natural.

The bigger question is, if you were health conscious, would you really be eating Pizza Hut in the first place? Have you tried this pizza yet? What did you think of it?

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What Would You Make?

partysugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:08:51 -0800

OK so hopefully by now you know how this works, but just in case, here goes. You are at home and hungry for food. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/ spouse/child/friend, but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have ground turkey, feta cheese, and a jar of roasted red peppers. Using these products, along with whatever you currently have on hand in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make?

To see what I would make, read more.

First I would heat up some olive oil in a saute pan. I would brown the ground turkey in the oil.
To the pan I would add a chopped onion and minced garlic.
I would mix in some dried spices: black pepper, salt, oregano, and thyme.
When the meat is almost cooked and the vegetables are soft I would mix in some chopped red peppers.
Meanwhile, I would cover a cookie sheet with foil. On top of it I would lay out a bunch of pita chips.
I would top the pita chips with the cooked ground turkey vegetable mixture. Next I would top this with the feta cheese.
I would put the whole thing in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the pitas are crispy and brown.
Finally, I would top the entire thing with fresh chopped parsley.
Voila, Greek nachos! Best paired with a cold beer.

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Not Your Regular Nachos: Spanish Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:00:55 -0700

Last weekend I was at my parents house in Sonoma County and the weather was wonderfully warm. After consuming a large lunch, I decided to enjoy a light, Spanish-style dinner. The Spanish often eat a dinner of cold cuts, olives, and cheese. Bread or breadsticks normally accompany these simple meals. I took this concept and translated it into a nacho variation. I baked small thin breadsticks topped with Manchego cheese until crisp and melty. Next I topped them with a homemade romesco sauce. Romesco is a typical Spanish sauce made with roasted red peppers and almonds. When served with garlic stuffed olives and fresh jamon, these nachos were salty and delicious! To learn how I made them, read more.

Spanish Nachos
Modified form Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

For the Romesco:
2 medium red bell peppers
1 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped (4 ounces)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
For the Nachos:
1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese
8-10 two inch long, flat Italian or Spanish style breadsticks, crackers, or flatbread
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
slices of jamon Serrano or prosciutto and green olives, optional for serving

Directions

Make the romesco: Roast the pepper directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler until blackened all over. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Peel; discard the stem and seeds. Coarsely chop the pepper.
In a food processor, process the roasted pepper with the almonds, vinegar, parsley, and garlic to a paste. With the machine on, slowly blend in the olive oil. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and season with salt.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Top each breadstick with a heaping teaspoon of grated cheese.
Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes.
Dollop a little of the romesco sauce on each nacho (reserve the rest of the romesco for another use). Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Serve immediately with ham and olives.

Serves 1 and makes about 1 1/2 cups of romesco sauce.

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