Recipe: Sauteed Summer Peppers

I happen to be reading the very well-timed "I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti" by Giulia Melucci. Even though I was dining alone one recent evening, I thought I'd make one of the comforting recipes featured in this book about lost loves: Sauteed Summer Peppers. It was hearty, it was delicious... it was absolutely sublime for a sunny spring evening on the front porch with my book...

Vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 red onion, ends removed, sliced lengthwise into semicircular chunks
• pinch dried oregano
• 3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 orange, yellow), cored, seeds and pith removed, cut into strips
• 6 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 large tomatoes (or 4 plum tomatoes), seeded and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
• freshly ground pepper

Directions

 Heat olive oil in large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat and saute garlic and onion with the oregano until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add peppers, mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt and cook partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt; continue to cook another 10 to 15 minutes until the peppers are very soft. Test for seasoning and serve with torn basil leaves and freshly ground pepper.

Polenta:

• 6 cups water
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup cornmeal
• freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Directions

Bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until thickened.

Place polenta into a serving dish and place peppers over it. Top with parmesan.

Serves 4.

 This recipe was written by Mary Bilyeu and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on May 24, 2011.