Sweet Pepper Gems

So, last week, our CSA Spiral Path Farm delivered these sweet little gems in our farm basket.  Don't get me wrong -- I'm a big fan of these tasty little peppers and all of the sweetness that comes with them.  But, they delivered about 25 of them and the week before they had delivered about the same amount.  So here at Chez Patton-Isenhour we were about as sweet-peppered as could be.  I had them in salsa, I had sauteed them and put them with pasta and sauteed them with sausage and made sandwiches.  The only thing left to do was stuff them.

And a dinner party planned for four turned into a dinner party for 7 at the last minute.  Thank goodness I had so many of these because our guests gobbled them up.

Sweet Pepper Gems

1 8-oz package of cream cheese
1 cup of Mexican-shredded cheese (or Pepper Jack for a little zip - I just happened to have the Mexican on-hand)
2-3 links of chorizo sausage (not the cured)
3 green onions finely chopped (green parts too!)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicey - less or omit if you use pepper jack) 
salt and pepper to taste
12 small sweet peppers slice in half and seeded
Cilantro to garnish
Salsa to top

Crumble and brown the chorizo over a medium high heat until brown.

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except for your peppers.

Fill each pepper half with about a tablespoon of the cheese and sausage mixture.

Place the peppers on a well-oiled medium-high grill.  Let cook for 10-12 minutes until the filling starts to melt and the peppers have charred grill marks on the bottom.

Chop the cilantro finely and sprinkle over the top.  Serve with a side of fresh salsa to top.

Butternut Squash Galette

A few weeks ago when I challenged myself to cook without a trip to the grocery I had this recipe that I found in Gourmet magazine in my que.  It's a perfect fall appetizer and surprisingly easy.  I think I'll have this ready when our guests arrive so that they have something to snack on while I get our fat bastard turkey on the table.

Butternut Squash Galette

For pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 to 6 tablespoons ice-cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten

For filling:
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2- by 1/4-inch slices (4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced crosswise
6 ounces soft mild goat cheese, crumbled

Make dough:
Pulse flour, butter, sage, and sea salt in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle ice water evenly over mixture and pulse until it just forms a ball. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.) Gently press dough into a 5-inch disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
Make filling while dough chills:
Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.

Toss squash with sea salt and 1 Tbsp oil and arrange in 1 layer in a 17-by 12-inch shallow baking pan. Roast, stirring once halfway through roasting, until golden brown on edges and undersides, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove squash from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375°F.

Meanwhile, wash leeks, then cook in remaining 2 tablespoons oil with a pinch of sea salt in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Add squash, goat cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss gently.

Make galette:
Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Transfer to a baking sheet. Arrange filling in an even layer in center of dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Fold dough in on itself to cover outer rim of filling, pleating dough as necessary. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake galette until crust is cooked through and golden on edges, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes before serving.

*Dough can be chilled up to one day. Filling can be made one day ahead, chilled and covered.