Eva's Kitchen - Eva Longoria Parker [5]
Bell peppers come in a rainbow of colors, from green to red, yellow, orange, and purple. They are crunchy and sweet, with no spicy bite whatsoever. They are welcome additions to dishes like Hungarian Paprika Chicken and they are large enough to hold generous amounts of flavorful stuffing, as in Stuffed Green Peppers.
Serrano peppers have straightforward chile flavor and good heat that is not at all overpowering. About 2 inches long, they are most often green, although you can sometimes find red ones. Serranos are enormously popular in Mexican cooking and absolutely critical in my Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers and Pico de Gallo (above).
Finally, green jalapeños are widely available. They can be very hot and have a distinct flavor with grassy, green bell pepper qualities. They zip up VeraCruz Corn and Corn Bread with bright color, flavor, and heat.
cannellini beans with crushed red pepper
I first had this dish at a restaurant in Florence, Italy. I took a bite and immediately asked the waiter to tell me exactly what was in it. When he told me, I had the same reaction I’ve had so many times after tasting something delicious in Europe: “That’s it?!” I don’t know if it comes from wisdom or restraint or both, but Europeans can take the simplest ingredients and extract from them the most exquisite flavors. My introduction to this dish coincided with my one-year stint as a vegetarian, when I practically lived on beans, relying on them for protein and to fill me up.
If you have lemon- or herb-infused olive oil on hand—such as that used in the Butterhead Lettuce Salad with Strawberries—use it here to add depth to the flavor of this dip. Depending on the potency of your flavored oil, it may be overpowering if used alone, so start with 1 teaspoon and taste it. If you feel the extra flavor it adds is enough, add the remaining 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
2 19-ounce cans of cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained well
1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Toast Triangles or assorted crackers, for serving
1. In a medium serving bowl, place the beans, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and salt to taste. Gently stir to combine.
2. Serve with toast triangles or assorted crackers.
ants on a log
My mother became a special education teacher because my sister Elizabeth was born with a mental disability. Mom was always on the lookout for easy recipes that would allow her to be in the kitchen with all of us. When I told Elizabeth that I was working on a cookbook, she asked if I would include some of her recipes. Of course I said yes right away! Liza is a remarkable person and I love cooking with her. This is a quick and easy snack for kids—although I always catch a few adults sneaking a log or two!
MAKES 16 LOGS
8 stalks celery
½ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons raisins
1. Cut the celery sticks crosswise in half. Fill the hollow of each of the 16 celery sticks (the logs) with peanut butter.
2. Stick a few raisins (the ants) in a row on the peanut butter. Serve.
normandy shrimp
The key to this recipe is to use butter from the northern French region of Normandy, or at the very least a European butter, either of which can be found in grocery stores or specialty food shops. Normandy butter contains more fat than American butter and tastes out of this world, especially in a recipe like this one that has just two main ingredients: succulent shrimp and rich butter.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
4 tablespoons unsalted Normandy butter
1 pound large (31 to 35 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
Pinch of kosher salt
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shrimp, cayenne, and salt. Cook, gently stirring occasionally and turning the shrimp over at least once, until the shrimp are opaque pink or orange and cooked through,