Okay – before I get dressed and hunker down with the rest of Boleskine’s trip report (don’t worry Jerry, it will be published soon), let me try to get the next couple of recipes up.

First one, Damn Hot Peppers (or Darn Hot, if you want to be “correct”). Actually, I think the batch I made yesterday should be called, “G-d Damn Hot Peppers,” they’re that hot. I got this recipe from Michael Chiarello.

It’s a little different on his website than originally published in his NapaStyle cookbook. Anyway, here it is:

Damn Hot Peppers

Ingredients

(makes 6 pints)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used 6 T oil)
7 green peppers, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch square pieces (big peppers)
1 pound jalapenos, cut into 1/8-inch slices
Gray salt
3-1/2 pounds (56 oz.) crushed tomatoes or 7 cups fresh tomato concassi (peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes) – I used 2 28 oz cans of Italian tomatoes that I whirled in the blender but I’ve done this with fresh tomatoes and like it as well (maybe better). I’ll probably do another batch with real tomatoes at the end of the summer. I planted Roma tomatoes for this purpose, and the stupid deer at all of them.
Small bunch of basil leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Directions

0727070729a.jpgHeat the oil in a very large pot. Add the peppers, jalapenos, and salt to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until the peppers have softened and are partially tender. There will still be some liquid left in the pot.

Add the tomatoes and the basil leaves. Lower the heat and continue to cook for about 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Add additional salt if needed. Remove from the heat.

If canning, add the vinegar, place in canning jars, and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or, store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I did can in 1/2 pint containers; I used to can in pint containers but we wouldn’t use them all before they’d go bad, so now the 1/2 pint ones. I filled sterile, hot jars with them (left about 1/2″ to 1″ head room – I’m bad with estimates) and processed for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

We love these on some bruschetta or I love to mix some into my scrambled eggs but he also has a whole bunch of recipes on the website for them too (something with polenta that sounds good).

Another recipe I made last night I wasn’t as crazy about, Sausage and Bean soup with Kale. I made it to use up my Kale and Swiss Chard. It just seemed to need a lot more cooking to soften the Kale than this soup allotted (maybe I didn’t cut it small enough) and the Kale seemed too bitter for the flavors. The Chard was good – I might try it again with Escarole, when I have the chance.

Sausage, Kale, and Bean Soup

Sausage fires a simple five-ingredient soup with smoky spice. Serve with crusty bread.

4 ounces Cajun smoked sausage, chopped (such as Conecuh – I didn’t have Cajun smoked sausage but did have some turkey kielbasa which I used and added a bit of creole seasoning)
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
6 cups coarsely chopped kale (about 8 ounces)
1 (16-ounce) can navy beans, drained and rinsed (I used cannellini beans)

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add smoked sausage to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the kale. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until the kale is tender. Stir in beans, and cook 1 minute or until soup is thoroughly heated.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)

CALORIES 280 (29% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 3.2g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 17g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 153mg; SODIUM 924mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.6g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003