Piquant Bell Peppers Recipes

CREAM CHEESE & RICOTTA STUFFED PIQUANTE PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cream cheese and Ricotta cheese, stirring until evenly incorporated.
• Add the oil from the jarred peppers as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin out filling if necessary. (The filling should be the consistency of whipped cream cheese).
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Fill each Piquante with about 1/2 teaspoon of filling (depending on the size of the pepper).
• If needed, with clean hands, press the filling into the pepper with your fingers.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours; let come to room temperature for 15 minutes prior to serving.
• Sprinkle with chopped basil before serving.

PEPPADEWS (PIQUANTé PEPPERS): THE PICKLING RECIPE

Steps:

• DO wear surgical gloves (from any pharmacy), as the seeds start stinging the hands after a while!
• Do the 1st Step the night before. Believe me, you'll find it is necessary!
• Cut off the stem side of the peppadews, and carefully scrape out the seeds with a small teaspoon. Rinse. Try to remove all seeds.
• Let the salt dissolve in the water. Then add the prepared peppadews. Make sure they're all in the brine by putting a plate or similar on top. Leave overnight at room temperature.
• Next day, using squeaky clean bottles and caps, put on a firm tin and into a cold oven. Heat oven to between 160 - 170 deg Celsius
• Now rinse the brine off the peppadews, rinse briefly with cold water, and leave in a colander to drain.
• Measure out into a large pot all the ingredients given in Step 2 (except the little green chillies), and stir well over low heat until ALL the sugar has dissolved. Then bring to a rolling, foamy boil.
• Add peppadews and chillis and boil them for only about 1 minute.
• Take hot bottles from the oven (be careful). First fill the bottles with peppadews, and then fill to about 1 1/2 cm from the top with the boiling liquid.
• Carefully wipe bottles round the top, and screw on the tops.
• (My sister and I used bottles with metal tops, the kind in which some pasta sauces are sold. The bottles should pop softly as they seal. If any do not seal, keep to use first).
• If sealed, will keep indefinitely.

PIQUANT BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut peppers lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips.
• Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and add peppers and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until wilted, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender and most of liquid has evaporated leaving an emulsified sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.