Green Peppers, Eggplant

New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 821, 22 April 1955, Page 32

Green Peppers, Eggplant

OTH of these vegetables are at last coming into populaf use here, as they have been in parts of the United States and Europe for many years. They are erown commercially in the Bay of Islands, and are plentiful in Auckland shops; it is to be hoped that they will Pass into general use all over the country, so ask your vegetable shops to get in some stocks so that you may become familiar with them. : The green peppers, or Capsicums, are said to be very rich in vitamin C. In fact, I know one family which uses green peppers like lettuce. with salt and bread and butter; and they are very popular in the States baked with different stuffings. At least one man at Lower Hutt grows them, and uses them freely; and I've had enquiries from gardenlovers who want to try. They grow on a small bush about two or three feet high, with large leaves somewhat like those of the cape gooseberry, and with light purple flower like a potato flower. Eggplants like any amount of heat. provided they get plenty of water. and the more humid the atmosphere, the better the flowers will set fruit. The season starts in December or January

and continues until well into May. In « letter from an enthusiast I am told he has friends, not only in Hungary,

but also in South Africa, who urge him to eat these excellent vegetables. Green Peppers Cut off tops and scoop out fibre and seeds. Blanch by covering with hot water and boiling tor 5 to 10 minutes till tender, but not soft. Dust inside with salt and stuff with any desired stuffing, including minced meat or cheese, tomatoes, sausage-meat, corn, rice, etc. Experiment! Lower Hutt Recipe The man who grows green peppers at the Hutt sent me his favourite stuffing recipe. "Cut off tops and fill with a mixture of cooked. washed rice and grated cheese. Stand them in a casserole in about an inch of tomato juice, with a dash of Worcester sauce added... Bake for 1% hours, and then brown slightly with lid off. Nice for tea!" Cheese and Tomato Stuffing This one is from the Department of Agriculture. Half a pound of cheese, 2 medium-sized tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of

butter, pinch of mace, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon of cornflour, pinch of cayenne pepper. Blanch and peel the tomatoes and remove the cores. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the tomatoes. Mash gently and cook until the tomatoes are pulpy. Add the mace, salt and cayenne pepper. Grate the cheese, add the cornflour to it, and then add this mixture to the tomato mixture. Cook gently until the mixture thickens. Stuff the hot. cooked peppers with it. Brown under the grill. Pepper Rings Just wash and slice the peppers into rings, cutting out the fibre and seeds. Dip the slices into egg and then in breadcrumbs and fry in shallow fat. about 2 minutes each side. Nice with grilled\steak or chops or bacon. Pepper Sauce (with Fried Chicken) One large green pepper, sliced thin, 1 onion (sliced and browned), 1 cup celery chopped fine, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 pinch cayenne, 1 cup sliced tomato, 2 cups fowl stock. Cook all for 4% hour, thicken with flour, and add a few mushrooms. Cut up and fry in butter. Peppers with Chicken (Italian) Two (2-lb.) frying chickens, % cup olive or salad oil, 2 medium _ onions. chopped. 2 green peppers chopped, 1 red pepper minced, 1 clove garlic minced. 3 tomatoes peeled and chopped, 114 cups tomato puree, 2 tablespoons dry white wine, 144 teaspoons salt, % tea-

spoon pepper, ¥%' teaspoon allspice (if desired). Cut chicken into serving portions and brown in hot olive oil. Add onions, peppers ang garlic and brown lightly. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 44-hour or until chicken is tender. Pour sauce over chicken. Left-over Chicken with Peppers Two tablespoons green peppers, chopped, 2 tablespoons fat, 1 tablespoon flour, salt, pepper, paprika, 2 cups cream or evaporated milk, 1 egg beaten, 2 cups diced cooked chicken, 2 cups cooked asparagus tips ¢ut into 2-inch lengths. Melt fat, add flour and seasonings. Add cream and cook until slightly thickened, stirting constantly. Pour over egg and blend. Add chicken, asparagus tips and green peppers and heat thoroughly. Serve on hot toast. This may be placed

in casserole with 1 cup buttered breadcrumbs sprinkled over top, brown in the oven. One cup ceoked broccoli cut into 2-inch pieces may be used instead of asparagus. Eggplant This vegetable with its shiny, polished, purple surface, is very decorative in a shop. I liked it very much in New York, where I was often served with a delicious "plate" consisting of thick slices of eggplant, covered in egg and breadcrumbs and fried in bacon fat, served with slices of cooked ham wrapped round little bundles of cooked asparagus and grilled; candied sweet potatoes and perhaps green peas at the side; and the usual small plate of crisp green salad beside it. Do not pare ahead of time as it will discolour. It may be cut crosswise in thick slices, dipped in seasoned flour or in egg and breadcrumbs and fried in hot bacon fat or salad oil till brown and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Or stuff and bake, much like green peppers, by boiling first, unpeeled, till tender, then halve crosswise. Scoop®out pulp, leaving a thick shell. Mash the pulp, mix with an equal quantity of breadcrumbs, grated onion to taste, chopped tomato, melted butter or cream, some minced ham or liver or liver sausage, or as dCesired. Fill the shells, already dusted with salt, cover with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs, dot with butter, and bake till brown and cooked, about 30 minutes, in moderate oven, with enough water to keep from. sticking. Baked Eggplant Parboil 4% inch slices of eggplant and bake in either of the following ways: (1) Cover slices of eggplant with thick slice of tomato, season and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Lay a strip of bacon on top and bake about 20 minutes in moderate oven. (2) Cover\alternate layers of eggplant and breadcrumbs with chopped parsley, fried onion, 4% cup milk, cheese on top, and bake 42 hour in moderate oven.