Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Piperade with homegrown sweet peppers

We still have sweet peppers in the potager and they are super sweet and colourful. This will probably be the last batch for this season. So I decided to make piperade which we love. I do it a bit different than the original way that comes from the southwest in France, particularly the Basque region. I make mine seperately in the oven and mix it all together at the last minute before serving. Its a bit less juicy and saucy and the flavors of all the ingredients harmonize without losing their individuality. We especially enjoy it on rustic toasted country bread for a lunch.

Piperade with homegrown peppers

Recipe:

  • 4 large pepper of different colours.
  • On large onion
  • A big handful of cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 4 cloves of garlic, cleaned and lightly squashed
  • salt and pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Fresh thyme
  • Raspberry flavoured balsamic vinegar
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degr C.
  2. Wash the peppers and slice into chunks, or thin slices if you prefer. Add to an oven pan with fresh thyme and drizzle liberally with olive oil.
  3. Clean the onion and cut into medium chunks. Add to another oven pan .
  4. Wash the cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes and slice in half. Add the tomatoes to the onion and add the cleaned and squashed garlic cloves.
  5. Roast the vegetables in the oven pans until tender and slithgly charred, for about 30 minutes. Take care not to burn the peppers. If youve sliced them thinly, they will roast quicker.
  6. Remove from the oven, mix the vegetables together, drizzle with more olive oil, season with salt and pepper and drizzle finally with some raspberry flavouredbalsamic vinegar.
  7. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread or as a side with meat or fish.

Serves about 4 people as side dish

A pinch of salt:

  • Enjoy with slices of toasted whole wheat bread.
  • Serve as a side with fish or chicken.
  • Add tarragon instead of thyme if you serve it with chicken.
  • A full vegetarian meal.
  • For a meat version, add grilled sliced chorizo before serving.
  • If you slice the peppers into thin slices, they will roast quicker, about 20 minutes.
  • Add some piment d’espelette chilli peppers if you’d like it spicy.

Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Homemade pesto

I absolutely adore pesto. But the storebought variety leaves me cold. So, once again I have to say that a homemade product is so much better then what you buy on a shelf in the supermarket. And speak of easy and quick. I make a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator for up to tow weeks. Just make sure you cover it with a layer of olive oil. It never lasts that long though. We use a lot of pesto ; with pasta, on sandwiches, on toasted pannis, with tomatoes and burrata, with salads, soups… just about eveywhere. This recipe makes about one cup of pesto.

Recipe

  1. 60 g fresh washed and dried basil leaves
  2. 60 g finely grated parmesan cheese
  3. 50 g pine nuts
  4. 1 large clove of garlic
  5. olive oil to taste (about 100 ml)
  6. 5 ml lemon juice
  7. Salt and pepper
  • Add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, garlic and pine nuts to a blender and blend.
  • Add the olive oil and blend to a pulp, not smooth like a sauce.
  • Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
  • Transfer to a container and taste for seasoning.
  • Add a layer of olive oil, cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 cup of pesto

Pinch of salt.

  1. Store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
  2. Add to ice cube tray and store in the freezer. Take as many ice cubes of pesto as you need and defrost. Can be stored for a month.
  3. Use parsley or arugula instead of basil.
  4. Omit the lemon juice, which might add decoloration to the pesto.
  5. Use on sandwiches, in salads, with tomato and burrata or mozzarella, on pizzas, toasted paninis.