Peppers into Pipérade

This week's box includes:

• Chantenay Carrots
• Romaine Lettuce (I left this in the swap box)
  
• White Cauliflower
• Mystery (bell peppers)
• Delicata Squash
• Big Bunch Dried Onions
• San Marzano Tomatoes

On hand from last week we still have Anaheim peppers, oregano, sweet potatoes, rapini, and red beets. On top of that we have collard greens, fennel bulbs, torpedo onions, beet greens, golden beets, and an ear of corn. Lotsa food.

When faced with a backlog, I typically start with my least favorite vegetable and research recipes that include it, and other veggies in the pile. This week it was nearly a peck of peppers.

The name of a favorite local restaurant, p i p e r a d e, was my inspiration. A quick Google of "piperade recipes" set the course. Pipérade is a Basque dish based on peppers, onions and tomatoes -- three of the ingredients I had on hand. Score! What makes it special is the addition of Piment d'Espelette, a chili powder made from a pepper indigenous to Espelette, a commune in the very south-western part of France. These peppers are so special, the French protect them with an Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), much like wine other regional products.

Here's what we came up with, adding Anaheim's to the mix as a part of working through the backlog.

Pipérade
Serves 4

2T olive oil
2 bell peppers, seeded and julienned
2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and julienned
1 medium onion, julienned
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 San Marzano tomatoes, seeded and julienned
1t salt
1/4t pepper
1t Piment d'Espelette or paprika, half sharp

Heat oil in large saucepan over high heat. Saute peppers, onion, garlic, salt and pepper till vegetables are cooked through. Add tomatoes and Piment d'Espelette, mix well and cook until tomatoes "melt" and form a sauce.

Pipérade is a truly flexible sauce. Sean used some over eggs, a classic combination, and added some fresh goat cheese. I opted to top roast sweet potatoes with this flavorful, spicy sauce. I could see Pipérade used as a sandwich topping, as the base of a soup, as a simple condiment.

For those at a loss for what to do with an overabundance of bell peppers, this is an excellent option.