Kathleen and Charlie Schaffer are Schaffer Genuine Foods. They are buying Weiser padron peppers and stuffing them with a goat cheese filling. They also pickle them for bloody mary's and use them in Spanish omelettes.
Chanterelle-Stuffed Padron Peppers
(12 servings, 36 pieces)
3 dozen Padron peppers
2 cups Chanterelle mushrooms
3 whole shallots
3 slices smoked bacon
3 Tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup white wine
2 Tablespoons parsley
1 Tablespoon thyme
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
½ cup cream cheese
1 cup grated dry aged goat cheese
1 pinch salt and pepper
4 whole eggs
¼ cup milk
2 cups All-Purpose flour
1 tsp Moroccan seasoning
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
Be sure to choose the largest padron peppers that are all consistent in size.
On stove top boil 4 qts of lightly salted water. Add peppers and blanch for 2 mins. strain and cool.
Take each pepper and clip off the stem. With a bird's beak or pairing knive remove the seeds and membrane inside of the peppers. Place on towel and pat dry. You may want to wear gloves at this point as you may get a spicy pepper with seeds that could burn your fingers a bit.
Cut bacon into small pieces and place in saute pan and render on low heat. Once bacon bits are golden and crispy remove from pan. In residual bacon fat add olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Add minced shallots, and chopped chanterelles.
Sauté until shallots are translucent and mushrooms have caramelized slightly. Add white wine to deglaze and loosen all of the bits from the pan. Reduce until the mushroom mixture is well coated and remove from heat.
In food processor, add mushroom mixture, cream cheese, grated dry aged goat cheese (We love Capricious or Drunken Goat) add chopped herbs, lemon zest, bacon bits. Pulse until smooth. Put filling in pastry bag.
Holding each individual pepper place pastry bag tip inside and pipe out approximately 1 tsp of filling. When peppers are filled you can make an egg wash for them.
In a bowl blend eggs, milk. In another bowl blend AP flour with moroccan spices or your favorite curry powder. In a third bowl add panko crumbs. Dredge each pepper in seasoned flour. Dip in eggwash and then Panko. Fry at 350 degrees for approximately 1-2min until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on cooling rack. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Serve immediately with a lemon half to squeeze on top. You can also use the stuffed peppers as a first course and serve with a lightly dressed salad of arugula, endive and julienned apple.
Patrick works with Carlsbad Aquafarm, a sustainable seafood company in North San Diego County. They use their fresh mussels and clams with other farmers market ingredients for a cioppino, or seafood stew.
Martha Stewart's Cioppino
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion (2 1/2 cups), coarsely chopped
1 medium bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
4 cloves garlic, minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 1/2 tsps fresh thyme
2 tsps dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
1 dried bay leaf
Pinch of saffron
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice, crushed
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 lb cockles or manila clams, scrubbed well
1 lb mussels, scrubbed well and debearded
1 lb skinless firm white fish fillets, such as halibut, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 (2-inch) pieces orange zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tablespoons capers, rinsed
Grilled Sourdough Bread, for serving
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme, oregano, red pepper, bay leaf, and saffron.
Add tomatoes and their liquid, wine, clam juice, and 1 1/4 cups water, and bring to a simmer.
Add clams and mussels, and cover, simmering until shells open, 5 to 6 minutes. Season fish and shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to the pot. Cover, and simmer until the fish is opaque and the shrimp turn pink and begin to curl, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a small food processor, combine parsley, orange zest, orange juice, capers, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil; process until smooth.
Remove pot from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve with a dollop of the parsley mixture and the grilled bread.
Music Break: Know More Now (Instrumental + No Drums) by Zeep