The undeniable difference between purchasing produce directly from a farmer is most notably evident when using raw components like we did for these red pepper poppers. The red bell peppers from JF Organic Farms, available through the summer, are not only sexy in color, but bright and explosive in concentrated flavor. There’s no comparison to the store bought equivalent!
Here, we piped on a confit pepper and chickpea purée and topped it with olives and bits of some marinated feta. It’s sort of like a Greek salad you can tray pass and eat with your hands. Engage your kids to help make the purée so they feel connected to the cooking process – it’s a practical trick to get them to eat healthy!
First up, let’s marinate some feta cheese. We like goat feta from Drakes Farm. Cut it in cubes and gather your mise en place:
Tools:
cutting board
chef’s knife
vegetable peeler
sauce pot
range
Ingredients for Marinade:
4 cups olive oil, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp chili flakes
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh herbs, leaves only (your choice: rosemary, thyme, marjoram, lavender, basil)
2 lemons, zest peeled with vegetable peeler
salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
Combine all of the above ingredients in sauce pot and mix until evenly distributed.
Put pot on stove top over medium-low heat. When it starts to bubble, lower heat and cook for 3 minutes.
Allow to cool at room temperature.
The result is this uber-adaptable, lemon, herb infused olive oil that can be used for marinating (goat cheese, olives, or anything else your heart desires), as a salad dressing or a flavorful drizzle for over vegetables, pastas or toast. Once cooled, pour over feta cheese, and let marinate for an hour or more. No need to refrigerate this flavored oil and it should keep for a month.
Next up is creating a vessel for the marinated feta. There are so many uses, but we are going to stick to the red bell peppers and prep by cutting them into quarters and then slicing away all of the pith.
Below is the recipe for the bean puree (you can use store bought hummus), and the directions for assembly of pretty little tray pass snacks.
Tools:
cutting board
chef’s knife
sauce pot w/lid or aluminum foil for top
hand blender, beverage blender or food processor
oven or range
mixing bowl
Ingredients:
2 cups chickpeas, fully cooked (if you are using canned chickpeas, be sure to rinse in cold water)
2 red bell peppers, seeded, diced in small pieces about the size of a dime
1 red onion, peeled, diced small
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh herbs, leaves only (your choice: rosemary, thyme, marjoram, lavender, basil)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar (red wine, white wine, rice wine, champagne, white balsamic or sherry)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt and pepper to taste
For assembly:
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into “crackers”
1/4 cup feta, diced
1/4 cup persian cucumbers, diced
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup green olives, sliced
2 cups herb-infused olive oil marinated feta and olives *
Procedure:
Combine all ingredients except lemon juice in sauce pot and mix until evenly distributed. Cook covered for 40-45 minutes, either on the stove top on lowheat or in an oven preheated to 250 degrees F.
Remove lid and, while hot, blend until smooth. When desired smoothness has been reached, stir in fresh lemon juice and additional soft herbs such as chervil, parsley, basil, tarragon, dill or mint. Cool to room temperature.
While the purée cools, combine the feta, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and olives in a mixing bowl. Add the herb-infused olive oil marinade. Set aside.
To assemble, arrange the chips so the inside of the pepper is facing up. Add a dollop of chickpea purée to each chip. Top with the marinated feta mixture and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, as garnish. These appetizers can be assembled ahead and refrigerated.
Photos: Yolk & Flour
