Archives for posts with tag: red peppers

One year and 30 meal plans later (including this one) Everyday Banquet is celebrating its first anniversary! I had no idea when I started this blog whether there would be any readers, let alone whether the idea of presenting recipes in the form of a weekly meal plan would strike a chord. It has been fun to read your comments and follow your interest on Facebook. By far the most gratifying comments have come from those of you who don’t cook a lot or didn’t think you liked to cook but have been trying new meals and liking them. That was always the goal – to get more people into the kitchen, cooking relatively simple and quick meals seasonally. So, on what I hope is the first of many anniversaries, I thank you, my readers for sticking with me and supporting me through the year!

Bon Appetit!
Elizas 1st bday cake_web

Meal #1:Beer-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage
Meal #2: Penne in a Cream Sauce with Pancetta, Roasted Red Peppers and Peas
Meal #3: Sausages with Lentils and Green Salad
Meal #4: Roasted Wild Striped Bass with Lemon, Olives, and Rosemary + Roasted Fennel with Artichoke Hearts

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

fennel – 1
rosemary bunch – 1
bay leaves – 2
lemon – 2
red cabbage – 1 medium
red peppers – 2
apple – 1
onion – 1
carrot – 1
greens for a salad
artichoke hearts – 1 can in water
frozen peas
heavy cream – 1 small container
Kalamata olives – 1/2 cup
penne – 1 box
red lentils – 1 bag
dried thyme (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan (if you don’t already have it)
ground chili pepper (if you don’t already have it)
reduced-sodium soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
pancetta – 4-6 ounces
sausage – 1 lb.
pork tenderloin – 2 (1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds total)
wild stripped bass – 1 6-8 ounce filet per person
lager – 1/4 cup

 

Penne with a Pancetta, Roasted Red Peppers, Pea and Cream Sauce
Penne w Pancetta, Peas, Peppers in Cream Sauce

So, it may be January, when we all try to eat a little bit healthier, but Patrick and I had to squeeze one more rich dinner in before lightening it up. This dish, inspired by a recipe from Marcella Hazen’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, is so delicious and takes just 10-15 minutes to prepare (minus the time for roasting the peppers). You could use bacon instead of pancetta and if you want to skip the roasted red peppers, or just buy a bottle of already roasted peppers, that’s fine too.

2 roasted red peppers, diced into small pieces (directions below)
3 TB. butter
4-6 oz. pancetta, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 heavy cream
salt
pepper
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
12-16 ounces penne

Boil salted water and cook pasta according to directions on the box.

Put the butter and pancetta into a saute pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or less, stirring frequently.

Add the thawed peas, and cook for another minutes, stirring to coast them well.

Add the little squares of red peppers, stirring for a half a minute or so.
Peas, Peppers and Pancetta

Add the cream, salt and several grindings of pepper, and turn up the heat to high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens.

Toss the sauce with cooked, drained pasta, swirling in the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately, with additional grated cheese.

Roasted Red Peppers

Place whole peppers into the broiler for 15-20 minutes. Turn occasionally so that each side is blackened.

Place roasted peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, or place them in a paper bag and tightly close the bag. Let the peppers cool and then remove skin, seeds and inner ribs and dry peppers with a towel.