Page 83 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2015

CREOLE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup each: chopped onion, celery,
and bell pepper
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
Stuffed peppers
4 large green, red, yellow bell peppers 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 links spicy Italian sausage, casings
removed
1 pound ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and
green chilies, drained
1-2 tablespoons bread crumbs
(optional)
Freshly shredded cheddar cheese or
thin slices Velveeta
Sauce
Melt butter in skillet; add onion, celery, and bell pepper, and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce; simmer 15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice peppers lengthwise, stem to bottom; scrape out seeds and ribs. Parboil pepper halves 5 minutes in boiling water. Drain; set aside. Sauté onion until tender; add sausage and beef; brown. Drain; add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup sauce; cook 5 minutes. Stir in rice, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Pour 1/2 cup water
into a 9X13 inch baking dish; place peppers in dish. Scoop beef mixture evenly into each pepper half. Mix tomatoes with remaining sauce; spoon evenly over filled peppers; sprinkle with breadcrumbs, if using. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes until tender and heated through. Add cheese to top, and return to oven until cheese melts.
PURPLE HULL PEAS WITH OKRA
1 pound (about 4 cups) fresh shelled or frozen purple hull peas
4 ounces salt pork or bacon chopped 1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
(optional)
1 teaspoon sugar 4 cups water
8 small okra pods
Rinse fresh peas well and sort through. In a large skillet, sauté salt pork or bacon until fat is rendered. Add onion and cook until softened; then add the garlic, cook and stir a minute.
Add seasonings, sugar, peas, and water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that forms. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 45-60 minutes, or longer, until peas are tender, adding okra pods the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with pickled onion and cornbread. We like to serve over a little rice here in the Deep South.
SMOTHERED SUMMER SQUASH
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
3 tablespoons salted butter, divided 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
(optional)
2 pounds yellow summer squash or
zucchini (4-6 medium), chopped or
halved and sliced
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt, black pepper, Cajun
seasoning to taste Chopped fresh herbs to taste
Melt bacon drippings with 2 tablespoons butter in large lidded pot or deep skillet. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, or until tender.
Add squash and sugar, and toss to coat. Cover, and cook over low heat 20-25 minutes, or until tender, stirring several times.
Taste, season as needed with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and stir in fresh herbs, if desired. Serve in small bowls, along with some of the simmering liquid.
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August 2015 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 83