Italian Sausage, Onions, and Red Peppers on a Sub Roll

Quick, easy, and tasty! Emulates the state fair staple but substitutes sweet red pepper for the unripe green pepper.

2 4-oz sweet Italian sausages

1 c yellow onion, sliced thinly through the poles

1 c red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, julienne sliced

2 T vegetable oil

1 t kosher salt, divided

1 t yellow mustard, divided

2 sub rolls, split from the top

Heat the oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet to 350 F. Add the peppers and a pinch of salt. Fry quickly for 2 minutes. Add the onions, season, and continue frying until the onions begin to soften. Add the sausages to the middle of the skillet and continue frying. Turn the sausages after they have browned on the first side. Continue until browned on the second. Warm the rolls in the microwave. Place a sausage in the middle of each, mound up the vegetables, and lightly decorate with mustard. Serves 2.

Rajas Quesadillas

Developed May, 2020. Easy, fast, cheap, and filling. 

Filling

3 T vegetable oil: divided
1 large green pepper, sliced into strips
1 large jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 cup white or yellow onion, thinly sliced through the poles
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 t ground cumin
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 t oregano
1 t salt

Assembly & Finish

2/3 c shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/3 c queso cotija or pecorino Romano
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 large flour tortillas

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the peppers and cook until softened and colored. Add onions and tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in seasonings and move into a bowl. Wipe out skillet and heat the remaining oil. Soften the tortillas by warming in the microwave. Moisten the edge with water. Place half the filling on half the tortilla, top with half of each cheese, the cilantro, and fold in half. Seal the edges and distribute the filling evenly. Heat the remaining oil over medium-high, and carefully position each quesadilla on one half. Cook about four minutes to brown and then turn to brown the other side. Top with tomato salsa.Variation: Add an ounce of shredded deli meat to the filling.

Pico de Gallo

Serrano Chiles (Stock Photo)

Recorded June, 2013. This fresh salsa is called ‘Pico de Gallo’ (beak of the rooster) because the serrano pepper is fancifully likened to a rooster's beak. Serrano peppers are noticeably hotter than jalepeños.

1 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 c white onion, finely minced
1/2 c sweet red pepper, finely minced
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely minced
1/4 c finely chopped cilantro
1 to 2 t garlic, finely minced
2 T lime juice
1 t salt

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and gently mix. After chilling for an hour or two, adjust the lime juice and salt. If too tart, add a bit of sugar. Keeps well in the refrigerator. Great side dish for many Mexican meals.

Chicken Canzanese

Not DrDaddy's recipe but too good not to share. It's the spicy flavor profile that makes the dish so memorable. From America's Test Kitchen.

1 T olive oil
2 oz lean salt pork or pancetta, cut into 1/4 -inch cubes
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
8 chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and skin
ground black pepper
1 T unbleached all-purpose flour
2 c dry white wine
1 c chicken stock
4 whole cloves
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves separated, stem reserved
12 whole fresh sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1/4 to 1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 T butter
1 T fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 C), and adjust rack to lower-middle position. Heat 1 t oil in 12-inch heavy stainless steel skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and cook, stirring frequently until garlic is golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer garlic and pork to small bowl and set aside. Do not rinse pan. Increase heat to medium-high; add remaining 2 t oil and heat until just smoking. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels and season with ground black pepper. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until well browned, 5-8 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer.
 
Transfer chicken to large plate. Discard all but 2 T fat from pan. Sprinkle flour over fat and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly add wine and broth; bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 3 minutes. Stir in cloves, rosemary stem, sage leaves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and reserved pork and garlic. Nestle chicken into liquid, skin side up (skin should be above surface of liquid), and bake, uncovered, until meat offers no resistance when poked with fork but is not falling off bones, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Check chicken after 15 minutes; broth should be barely bubbling. If bubbling vigorously, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 C).) Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Remove and discard sage leaves, rosemary stem, cloves, and bay leaves. Place skillet over high heat and bring sauce to boil. Cook until sauce is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 2-5 minutes. Off heat, stir in minced rosemary, lemon juice and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce around chicken and serve. Suggested sides: roasted baby bok choy and couscous.

Hint: Preparing Cauliflower

Devised December 21, 2012. How to remove the tough core of a whole head of cauliflower quickly, efficiently and safely.

1 large head of cauliflower

Holding the head firmly between both hands, strike the stem forcefully against a sturdy surface several times until it loosens. Twist it free and discard. Peel apart the florets, and trim away the tough bottom where they contacted the core. Suggestion: roasted with Asian seasonings and sweet red pepper.

Roasted Cauliflower and Pepper Soup

The vegetables ready for roasting

Prepared October 15, 2012. Can be prepared as a conventional, vegetarian, or vegan dish.

large head of cauliflower, trimmed, cored, and cut into florets
1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 jalapeño peppers, membranes and seeds removed, and coarsely chopped
2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 t garlic, chopped
olive oil, as needed to coat the vegetables lightly
4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 T dry)
1 T salt
1/2 T sugar
1 t ground black pepper
3 c water
3 c chicken or vegetable stock
juice of a large lemon
3/4 c half and half, or light cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Place vegetables in an open roasting pan. Drizzle on oil, and toss lightly to coat. Add the thyme, salt, sugar, and pepper. Roast until lightly colored and softened, about 40 minutes. About half of original volume will remain, concentrated in flavor. Transfer to a heavy 6-qt pot. Add the water and stock. Simmer covered until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, set half the vegetables aside in a bowl. Blend the rest until smooth with an immersion blender. Lightly blend the reserved vegetables and return to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, and adjust the salt and pepper. Stir in cream, if desired. Yields about 3 quarts.

Hamburger Helper + Helper

Prepared February 15, 2011. This reduces meat (and saturated fat) by half, replacing it with vegetables, seasonings and flavorings.

1 t vegetable oil
1/2 lb lean (85%) ground beef
2 T tomato paste
2 T dry minced onion
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 t ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T beef base
2-3/4 c very hot water
1/3 c frozen corn kernels
1 box Hamburger Helper® Mexican Chili Macaroni flavor

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet, and add the beef. Cook, with frequent turning, until well browned. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, cumin, and pepper. Heat for a minute, add the hot water, dry onion, corn kernels,  beef base and the noodles and sauce from the mix. Stir, bring to a slow boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 2 or 3.

[Another] Seafood Stew

First prepared April 15, 2008. 'Another' means one more seafood stew recipe, and also, for DrDaddy, one more try at a seafood stew.

2 T canola oil (or 4 T if salt pork is omitted)
2 oz lean salt pork, diced
2 ribs celery + leafy tops, sliced crosswise
1 leek, white part and tender green part, quartered and sliced crosswise
1/4 cup sliced shallots
2 carrots, peeled, quartered and sliced crosswise
1/2 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 c, frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 c sweet red pepper, diced (or ancho chiles, soaked in warm water, drained well, and chopped)
2 medium russet potatoes (about two cups), peeled, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 c flour
1 qt fish stock + chicken broth, as needed to cover
1 lb firm white fish filets (e.g., whiting, catfish, cod, or tilapia) brined and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 lb frozen raw medium shrimp, brined, shelled (reserve for stock) and cut into bite size pieces
1 c milk
1 c light cream
1/4 c minced parsley
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 T lemon juice
sliced green onions or chives, as garnish

Brine the fish and shrimp for 30 minutes in a quart of cold water + 1/4 c sugar and 1/4 c kosher salt. Drain in a colander and cover with ice  until ready to proceed. This treatment rinses, firms up and flavors the seafood. Prepare a stock by simmering shrimp shells, fish trimmings, vegetable trimmings, peppercorns, a bayleaf and sufficient water to yield a quart or so.  In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high and add chopped salt pork. Fry until crisp. Add the peppers, and fry until they begin to color. Add the corn, and continue frying until it heats through. Add celery, leeks, shallots, onions, and carrots. Cook about 6 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Stir in flour, and cook until the roux turns a light tan. Add potatoes, and cook until they are partly tender (test with a paring knife). Add the shrimp stock and additional chicken stock as needed and bring to a slow boil to thicken. When potatoes are tender, stir in the fish and shrimp. Add additional broth if needed to cover. Lower heat and simmer a few minutes. Stir in parsley, cream, milk, and lemon juice. Heat through gently. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Garnish each serving with green onions or chives. Serves 6 to 8 generously. Great with freshly-baked corn bread or dark pumpernickel.

Rigatoni, Sweet Italian Sausage, & Peppers

Prepared January 20, 2010.

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, bulk or removed from links
2 T olive oil
2 T tomato paste 
1 t fennel seed
2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1 c sweet red peppers, cut into large irregular pieces
1 c sweet green peppers, cut into large irregular pieces 
1 leeks, white part only, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 T finely minced garlic
3/4 c red table wine
26 oz container prepared marinara sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes
about 1/2 c pasta water
2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c fresh basil, torn into pieces

1 or 2 lb dry rigatoni, depending on desired yield

Heat olive oil in a heavy 6-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat. Cut or tear the sausage meat into bite-size pieces and fry in the oil. When nicely browned, clear a spot, add a bit of oil, then toast the herbs and tomato paste for a minute and then add the peppers. As they begin to color, add the leeks and onions. After a minute or two, clear a spot and add the garlic. After 30 seconds, mix into the vegetables. Continue frying until they begin to soften. Add the wine, and scrape up the fond. When reduced by half, add the tomatoes and marinara sauce. Fast simmer covered at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper, and basil when done. Boil the rigatoni in plenty of salted water until al dente. Mix the drained pasta with about the sauce adding pasta water as necessary. Alternatively, cook only 1 pound of pasta, and reserve half the sauce for later use. Simmer for a few minutes to finish cooking the pasta. Drizzle on some nice olive oil. Pass grated Parmesan cheese. Serves a crowd.

Baked Flounder and Rice

Fish, Leeks, Onions, & Rice Ready to Serve

Conceived and first prepared December 23, 2009. A Family Favorite.

12 oz fresh or frozen and defrosted flounder filets, cut into portions
1 c leeks, julienned
1 medium onion, thinly sliced through the poles
1 t dry oregano
1/4 t crushed red pepper
2 T olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 T butter
2 T capers, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 c Spanish olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 c Peppadew® peppers, coarsely chopped (see Note)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 c chicken stock
4 c steamed white rice

Heat oil and butter until sizzling in a 10-inch skillet. Add leeks and onions, spices and bay leaf. Cook on medium heat about 10 minutes until softened and beginning to color. Remove the bay leaf. Add the olives, peppers and capers and warm through. Spread the rice in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch glass baking dish, arrange the fish on top, sprinkle on some olive oil. and distribute the sauteed vegetables over the fish and rice. Squeeze on lemon juice, scatter zest, and pour stock around. Bake uncovered in 300 degree F (150 C) oven for about 40 minutes until fish flakes. Serves 4 to 6.

Peppadew® peppers
[Photographer Unknown]

Note From Wiki: Peppadew® is a brand of sweet piquant pepper, a patented cultivar of Capsicum baccatum, grown in the Limpopo province of South Africa. They are sweet, fruity, and pleasantly warm. Sold seeded (to reduce the heat) and lightly pickled. About 1100 Scovill units. They are sold in jars and at food store deli bars. Substitute sweet or hot cherry peppers.