This weekend we had some friends visiting from DC (former Bostonians) and I wanted to conjure up a meal that was tasty and filling, especially since we were celebrating one of their Birthdays! I felt the urge to stray away from my classic entertaining dishes and go for something new that I could add to my repertoire. I thought about dishes that I ask my family to make on special occasions and decided on a meal that my brother has perfected over the years: Roasted Red Peppers w/ Penne.
I was filled with nervous excitement when I began to cook this dish, excitement due to the fact that I was cooking something new and trying a new technique (can you believe I’ve never roasted my own peppers!?) and nervous because I was trying to recreate a delicious dish in hopes of pleasing the Birthday girl.
Roasted Red Peppers
This is the approach my brother takes and works well if your kitchen is equipped with a gas stove. Turn the burner on medium heat and place the pepper directly on the grate above the flames. Rotate with tongs until all sides of the pepper are equally charred, then place in a bowl and cover for anywhere from 10-20 minutes. By that time the peppers should be cool enough to handle- the skin should peel off easy. Its alright if some of the black bits stay on, it just adds more yummy flavor. De-seed and slice according to recipe.
Roasted Red Peppers w/ Penne
Ingredients:
2 roasted red peppers, sliced
2 tomatoes, peeled and seeded*, cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 lb penne
1 TBS Butter
olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley and grated cheese to serve
Saute onions, peppers, tomatoes and garlic in olive oil with salt and pepper. When veggies are tender add the stock and butter and simmer for 10-15 minutes while the pasta cooks in salted water. When the pasta is almost done cooking, drain and add to the sauce to finish cooking in the liquid for another 3-5 minutes. Let pasta set another 5-10 minutes to absorb the liquid and serve with fresh parsley and grated cheese.
My Man Crow bought this WINE earlier in the day because it reminded him of Crows. The Pinot Grigio was very palatable with this dish.
*With a knife cut an X into the bottom of the tomato, put in boiling water for 45 seconds, remove and let cool. The skin should peel off easily where the X was made, then cut in half and squeeze out seeds.
meals. Last time I made Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, I used a combination of Gruyere, Parm and Goat Cheese in my bechamel. Even my weary man-crow gobbled it up. I may never see him spread it on a cracker but seeing him enjoy a dish that contained Goat cheese is still a victory in my book.
and the happy kitty who ate him
the trinity of celery, onions and carrots- the foundation for chicken soup. I sauteed these vegetables plus some garlic and bay leaf to make a basic risotto. At the end rather than stirring in grated cheese I used lemon zest to give it a nice bite; a great suggestion I borrowed from 
Tender strips they sell at Harvest (best deal around $3.50 a pound). I tossed them with olive oil, salt pepper and dried oregano then layered some lemon slices over the top. Baked in a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes, then let them sit on the stove top covered for another 10 minutes the let the juices redistribute. Garnish with a little fresh parsley or chopped celery leaves and dinner is served.
