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By Root 341 0

—a lot of fiber, a lot of water, not a lot of taste. Roast them, though, and they are absolutely transformed. Intensely flavored and wonderfully sweet, they become another superb all-purpose flavoring for pastas and salads, a great garnish for chicken or fish, or even the star of a dish—in, say, a roasted red pepper soup.

Raw bell peppers

1. Roast the peppers over an open flame on a gas stove, on a grill over very hot coals, or under the broiler, turning frequently, until the skins are completely charred. Place them in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

2. Remove the charred black outer skin from the peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and cores. Pat dry with paper towels. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

SPICY ROASTED POBLANO SAUSAGE

This is another sausage that uses roasted peppers to impart an intriguing flavor as well as great juiciness. Brian has served it with sautéed shrimp, green chile rice, and a black bean sauce; alongside a grilled chicken breast with guacamole, Jack cheese, and a tomato coulis; and in a tortilla with slaw and spicy tomatoes. This sausage, no more difficult to make than Italian sausage, will surprise guests with its unexpected poblano flavor.

5 pounds/2.25 kilograms boneless pork shoulder butt, diced

11⁄2 ounces/40 grams kosher salt (3 tablespoons)

3 tablespoons/24 grams ancho chile powder (see Note 1 below)

2 teaspoons/6 grams ground cumin

2 tablespoons/12 grams fresh oregano

1 tablespoon/18 grams minced garlic

1 tablespoon/8 grams Spanish paprika

1 cup/120 grams small-diced roasted, peeled, and seeded poblano peppers

8 tablespoons/48 grams chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup/250 milliliters ice water

10 feet/3 meters hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes and rinsed

1. Combine all the ingredients except the poblano peppers, cilantro, and water, toss to distribute the seasonings. Chill until ready to grind.

2. Grind the mixture through the small die into a bowl set in ice (see Note 2 below).

3. Add the peppers and cilantro to the meat mixture. Mix with the paddle attachment (or a sturdy spoon) while slowly adding the water. Continue mixing until all the liquid is incorporated and the sausage has developed a uniform, sticky appearance, about 1 minute on medium speed.

4. Sauté a small portion of the sausage, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

5. Stuff the sausage into the hog casings and twist into 6-inch/15-centimeter links. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to cook.

6. Sauté or roast the sausage to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F./65 degrees C.

Yield: About 5 pounds/2.25 kilograms sausage; about twenty 6-inch/15-centimeter links

[ NOTES: 1. Generic chili powder can be used, but ancho chiles (dried poblanos) have a distinctive sweet spicy flavor. Ancho chile powder can be found at specialty stores, at many supermarkets, and via mail-order. To make your own powder, roast the anchos in a 300-degree-F./150-degree-C. oven until they are very hard and dry, about 15 minutes. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then break them open, discard the seeds and stems, and pulverize in a coffee or spice grinder. 2. See pages 107–116 for a detailed description of the basic grinding, mixing, stuffing, and cooking techniques. ]

TURKEY SAUSAGE WITH DRIED TART CHERRIES

The pronounced turkey flavor of this sausage, which uses the abundant dark meat of a turkey, is offset by the sweet-tart cherries. If you can get high-quality farm-raised turkeys, you might want to brine and smoke the breast and then use the dark meat and fat for the sausage. If your turkey has abundant fat, use as much of that as possible in place of some of the pork fat. This sausage can be served on its own, but it also works nicely as an impressive, and appropriate, accompaniment to grilled turkey breast.

1 cup/200 grams dried tart cherries, picked through to remove any stray pits

1⁄2 cup/125 milliliters dry white wine