Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

PEPPER

How to Roast

Peppers have a tough outer skin that can be eas­
ily removed after the roasting process to yield a
soft, silken flesh, unlike the crispness that you
get if you stir-fry peppers with the skin on.
Cut the peppers into strips no more than
½-inch wide to present as fl at a skin surface as
possible to the radiant heat source, usually an
overhead grill or broiler. Place the cut peppers
skin side up on a metal cookie sheet. Spray with
a little olive oil and place under the broiler for
5–10 minutes or until the skins have begun to
blister and turn brown but not black, which
will lend the peppers a burned fl avor. Turn
them immediately into a brown paper bag.
Close it up tightly and allow to cool. All things
being equal (and they almost never are), you
should be able to easily slip the charred skins off
and enjoy the smooth luscious slightly caramel­
ized fl esh beneath.

COUSCOUS WITH PEPPERS

In a sense, this is a North African salsa, very
colorful and full of bright taste and texture.
Great with seafood or poultry dishes.
SERVES 6

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

(see page 288)

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup large-grain couscous

3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper

3 tablespoons finely diced yellow bell pepper

3 tablespoons finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

½ teaspoon finely chopped cilantro stems

1 teaspoon arrowroot mixed in 2 teaspoons

water (slurry)

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup fruity white wine (I prefer

dealcoholized Chardonnay)

Combine the stock and almond extract in a

large saucepan and bring to a boil. Toss in any

vegetable trimmings left over from preparing

other courses. Simmer for 10 minutes or so.

Strain, discard the trimmings, and return the

stock to the saucepan.

Stir the couscous into the stock and simmer

20 minutes or until fl uffy and dry. If the cous­

cous is too runny, drain the excess liquid. If the

couscous is too dry, add up to ½ cup of water or

dealcoholized wine. (If you have only alcohol­

ized wine available, boil off the alcohol before

adding it to the couscous or it could be harsh.)

While the couscous is cooking, combine the

bell peppers and onion in a small bowl. Add

the lime juice and cilantro stems and mix.

As soon as the couscous is done, stir in the

slurry. (It is important to add the slurry while

the couscous is still very hot.) Add the pepper

mixture and the salt, and then remove the pan

from the heat and cover tightly to keep warm.

212 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE