The Recipe

Source: Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins:

2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced or cut into chunks
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sweet peppers, preferably red and yellow
1 pound ripe fresh tomatoes, diced, or 1 cup chopped drained canned plum tomatoes
1 fresh or dried red chili, or more to taste

Combine the onions and olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, then stir in the potatoes along with salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce with the point of a knife.

Meanwhile, peel the sweet peppers, using a vegetable peeler to remove the thin filament on the outside. Cut the peppers into long, inch-wide strips.

Add the pepper strips to the pan, stirring carefully to mix well without breaking up the potatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the peppers are beginning to soften, then stir in the tomatoes. (Note that because the peppers are raw, they will take longer to soften than roasted peppers would.) Cut the fresh chili in half, discard most of the seeds and white membrane, cut it into very thin slices, and add to the pan; if using dried chili, break it shaking out and discarding most of the seeds (which is where a lot of the heat is located) and crumble into the pan. Stir once more and cook for another 15 minutes, until the tomato sauce is thick and all the vegetables are very soft. If there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, raise the heat and boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy sauce.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Peperonata is also often served at room temperature.

The Recipe

Source: Saveur Magazine

(Makes about 2 quarts)

4 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried mustard powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
juice of 1 lime

Combine corn, garlic, onions, jalapeños, and peppers in a bowl. Divide corn mixture evenly between 2 one-quart glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, turmeric, and 1 cup water in a 4-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove pan from heat; stir in lime juice. Pour vinegar mixture over corn; seal jars. Let cool. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

The Recipe

Source: Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, if necessary
1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds refreshed salt cod or fresh fish
all-purpose flour for dredging fresh fish
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato concentrate, extract, or paste
3 sweet red peppers, roasted and peeled
½ small fresh hot green or red chili, roasted and peeled
2 tablespoons golden raisins, soaked in hot water to plump
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

In a medium skillet, heat ½ cup of the olive oil over medium heat until it has reached frying temperature (360 F).

While the oil is heating, cut the fish into 1-inch pieces. Pat refreshed salt cod dry with paper towels. If you’re using fresh fish, pat it dry, then dredge it lightly in flour, spread on a plate. (Do the drying and dredging right before you’re ready to fry; otherwise the coating will get gummy.)

When the oil is hot, add the fish pieces to the pan a few at a time and fry briskly until golden on all sides, transferring the finished pieces to a rack spread with paper towels to drain.

When all the fish pieces are done, lower the heat to low. Discard the oil, wipe the pan out, and add 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat slightly, and cook vigorously. As the tomatoes yield their liquid, stir in the tablespoon of concentrate. Continue to cook the tomatoes until they have disintegrated into a chunky sauce.

While the tomatoes are cooking, slice the peeled peppers into long 1/2-inch-thick strips. Chop the chili coarsely. Drain the soaking raisins.

Lower the heat under the tomato sauce again, then taste and add salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the salt cod my be very salty. Stir in the peppers, raisins, and pine nuts. Finally, fold in the pieces of fried fish. Cook the fish in the sauce over low heat for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors together, then serve immediately, garnished with the minced parsley.

The Recipe

Source: Pasta Improvvisata : How to Improvise in Classic Italian Style by Erica De Mane

Peperonata Sauce – For One Pound of Pasta

5 or 6 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 or 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
3 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
a handful of basil leaves, chopped
a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Roast the peppers over a gas flame until charred on all sides. Place in a paper bag to steam. When cool enough to handle, remove the charred skins, wiping off excess black spots. Seed the peppers and cut into thin strips.

In a large skillet, heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and saute a minute to blend the flavors. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute longer, just to release its aroma. Add the tomatoes, basil, and parsley; season with salt and pepper; and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, just until all the ingredients begin to thicken and the flavors come together. You can cover the pan if you like a sauce to have a little more liquid. Check the seasonings. The peppers should have a touch of sweetness but also a pleasant acidity.

Ziti with Peperonata, Almonds, and Green Olives

Ingredients for 1 recipe Peperonata Sauce
a generous handful of blanched almonds, lightly toasted
about 1/2 cup pitted green olives, cut in half
a splash of balsamic vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 pound ziti

Prepare the peperonata sauce and add all the remaining ingredients except the ziti. Heat gently over medium-low heat in a large skillet for 2 or 3 minutes to warm through and blend the flavors. Check the seasoning.

Cook the ziti until al dente, drain, and add to the pan. Toss well and check the seasoning. Serve hot. This dish also tastes wonderful at room temperature.

The Recipe

Source: Pasta Improvvisata : How to Improvise in Classic Italian Style by
Erica De Mane

about 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
a few tablespoons olive oil
4 large, ripe red bell peppers, charred over a flame until black, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped [or roasted in the oven - see here]
2 or 3 thyme sprigs
salt
cayenne pepper
4 or 5 heads of roasted garlic, cloves squeezed into a bowl
1 pound green pasta, cut for tagliatelle
a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
a few tarragon sprigs, leaves chopped

In a large skillet, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the roasted peppers and thyme sprigs (butter lends a sweet taste to red peppers, which can sometimes be bitter). Season with salt and a pinch of cayenne and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and puree the peppers in a food processor until smooth. Add the roasted garlic and blend until very smooth. If the sauce seems stiff, add a bit of olive oil (you can also add cream or pasta cooking water to thin it out).

Cook the tagliatelle until tender. Drain, leaving a bit of water clinging to the pasta, and transfer it to a large bowl. Toss it well with the sauce, adding the parsley and tarragon. I like this dish without cheese, but a freshly grated sweet, mellow cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano tastes very good on it.

The Recipe

Source: Rosa’s New Mexican Table by Roberto Santibanez

Make the Ranchera Sauce:

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and cored
2 serrano chiles
2 large garlic cloves
a 2-inch piece of Mexican cinnamon stick
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 ½ teaspoons salt, or as needed
1 teaspoon sugar, or as needed

Working in batches if necessary, combine the tomatoes, chiles, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Center the cinnamon stick on a 6-inch square of cheesecloth and tie the corners of the square together to make a neat bundle. (Mexican cinnamon will fall apart during cooking and the pieces can be difficult to remove from the finished dish. Wrapping the cinnamon in cheesecloth makes it easy to remove it all after cooking.)

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the pureed tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in the salt, sugar, and cinnamon bundle. Adjust the heat so the sauce is simmering. Cook until lightly thickened (just enough to coat a spoon), about 30 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much before that time, lower the heat slightly and add water, a tablespoon or two at a time.

Remove the sauce from the heat and check the seasonings, adding more salt and sugar if you like. The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat over low heat, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary to return the sauce to the right consistency.

Prepare and Stuff the Poblanos:

seven 6-ounce bags (or six 7-ounce bags) baby spinach or 2 ½ pounds loose baby spinach
¼ cup mild olive oil
½ cup raisins
½ cup pine nuts
salt
2 cups Ranchera sauce [above recipe]
6 large poblano chiles (about 1 ¼ pounds), roasted and prepared for stuffing
½ cup crema, crème fraiche, or thinned sour cream
half an 11-ounce log plain goat cheese, cut into 6 slices
¼ cup coarsely chopped epazote or cilantro

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the spinach a bagful at a time (or in 6 or 7 batches) and cook just until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle.

Working in batches, squeeze as much water from the spinach as possible (be very serious about the squeezing!). Coarsely chop the spinach. There will be about 2 very tightly packed cups.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, raisins, and pine nuts and cook, stirring to break up the clumps of spinach, until the raisins are puffy, the pine nuts are starting to toast, and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Season the spinach with salt, then pour in ¾ cup water and cook until the water has evaporated. (It may seem odd to add water after taking the time to cook off the liquid, but there is a sound reason: the addition of water helps carry the salt evenly throughout the dense spinach mixture.) Remove from the heat and let cool.

Pour the sauce into an 11 by 9-inch baking dish or other baking dish that will hold the stuffed chiles snugly. Divide the filling among the chiles, filling them loosely. Put them opening side up in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.

Drizzle the crema over the chiles while they are still in the baking dish, then transfer them to serving plates, spooning some of the cream-enriched sauce over and around them. (It is not necessary to blend the cream completely with the ranchera sauce; in fact, the plates will look nicer with a streaky sauce.) Top each chile with a round of goat cheese and some chopped epazote, and serve.

The Recipe

Source: The Essential Mediterranean by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

1 cup shredded soaked salt cod (here’s how to do that)
1 pound small Yellow Fin or fingerling potatoes
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon aged sherry wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 fresh sweet red peppers
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Peel the potatoes, cut them into chunks, and add them to a pan of rapidly boiling salted water. Cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain. As soon as you can handle the potatoes, slice them about ¼ inch thick into a salad bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Roast and peel the red peppers. Core the peppers, discarding the seeds and white inner membranes. Slice the peppers about ½ inch thick and add them to the potatoes.

Add the salt cod and toss gently to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for an hour or so to meld the flavors.

When you are ready to serve, if you wish, transfer the salad to a serving platter. Brown the garlic slices in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and pour them, oil and all, over the salad.