January 6, 2010

5 degrees F

8 inches of new snow overnight.

The Fly Over Zone is in a deep freeze---all across the country. But the sky in Montana is sapphire blue. It lifts the mood. The garden benefits from extensive use of evergreens that make a colorful contrast with snow. Red Twig Dogwood shrubbery is at its peak.

This weather is a good time for continuing with our big kettle of cooked white bean soup (see January 4). Let's try some variations today. Leave the beans whole and reserve the cooking liquid, which will be quite thick and tasty.

Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Roast peppers when they are plentiful and inexpensive and store them in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Peppers are available in the grocery markets year around (even here). We buy glass quart jars by the dozen in the food canning area at the grocery store. They are endlessly reusable, easy to thoroughly clean in the dishwasher, and clearly reveal their contents.

Pre-heat oven broiler on hottest setting. Place peppers (5 or 6 at a time) on a half bun pan (cookie sheet) lined with aluminum foil, or in a rectangular cake pan, and put under the broiler as close to the coil as you can (without touching it). Elevate the roasting pan with a turned over pie pan or other fireproof pan to get closer if necessary. Watch peppers as they blacken (5 - 10 minutes). Turn with tongs to char all sides. When well blackened, remove from broiler and with tongs, place whole peppers in a brown paper bag. Close the bag and let them steam for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, pull each pepper in half, peel off black skin under gently running cold water, discarding seeds and stem, and drain in a strainer. You now have a supply of the most delicious and versatile roast vegetable imaginable.

To use right away, place the rinsed pepper sections (quartered is a good size) in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup olive oil (for 6), one teaspoon of salt and 3 or 4 cloves garlic, which you have peeled and smashed with the flat blade of a knife. Keep warm, but do not cook peppers further. Place a 1 cup serving of cooked white beans with a bit of their cooking broth in a warm soup bowl and top with several sections of roast pepper. Top dress with snipped chive, parsley, or rubbed dry oregano leaves.

If you have a gas stove, you may blacken the peppers directly over the burner flame. Use a long handled cooking fork to hold and turn the pepper. This fork will become your pepper roasting fork, as the hot flame will change the metal and you won't want to use it for other purposes. You can also buy small racks for warming tortillas that just fit over a gas burner and are great for roasting vegetables. When charred, follow the same procedure as above.

Brunch guests LOVE this combination. Black beans may also be used for dramatic color with the red peppers. Or have a kettle or each.

If you are roasting peppers ahead for later use, store in a glass jar with olive oil and cloves of garlic (covered) until needed. If you have leftover roast peppers, blend or food process, toss in a few bites of leftover meat or fish, and use as a pasta sauce.

Stay warm!