Peppers go with fish… and everything else

 

I love to get invited to a friend’s house in garden season. I found a basket of banana peppers on her counter and they made a great meal even better. I recall my dad grew these long yellow-green babies and called them wax peppers. Her gang goes with banana.

This family has a skill at frying fish, so I’m linking all the following topics in honor of these great cooks. The “Simple Pleasures” author though all grandmas had a garden in the back to harvest fresh ingredients for each meal. We’re all a lot of Culinary Thrill Seekers. 

Fish in a Jar – Something fishy for your hostess? I got a multi-pack of Tonnino that looked like a flight of fish, with little jars boxed like a row of gemstones. That pinkish fish glimmered in olive oil that raised the anticipation. I could imagine the pop of the gold lid and the release of aroma.

Tonnino has released the first-ever salmon in a jar. It’s wild-caught Alaskan salmon that also packs omega-3s and protein. Skip the fish prep with these jars. This brand has impressed me in the past and this new thing is another winner. I know you can create a variety of recipes with the contents, but my favorite plan is to simply pop it open and dish it onto a platter with cheeses, peppers and a loaf of bread. I’m transported.

Other options include on salads, in pasta or with grains or roasted vegetables. It also begs for a bagel with cream cheese or with avocado toast.

Get a bunch of these little jars to throw in picnic baskets. They also look stunning lined up on the pantry. www.tonnino.com.

                     Fry Some Fish – If you haven’t fried your fish in seasoned chickpea flour, maybe it’s just because you haven’t thought of it. But your gluten-free friends have, and they may already be using 41Grains brand, which is dryland farmed in Montana. My daughter and put a southern touch on their Fish Batter Mix and we were pretty proud of ourselves. www.41grains.com has videos on the farming technique and info on why they soak their lentils before frying them into crunchers to keep the oil content down. That was a pleasant surprise to read. “From our family’s farm to your family’s table” is the motto. I feel a little invested in their pride in developing an impressive line of products. They say the browning mix is a big hit. Not surprised.

“Simple Pleasures” – Reasons to hang out with cookbook author Jodi Moreno: Her grands came from Italy and she thought every grandma had a garden and dried pasta on the washing machine. She makes a tinned fish spread into a travel history with mustard, sourdough and appropriate pairings. Serves it right out of the cans… She’s into popcorn for dinner. Her cat’s in the picture.

Italy and Mexico figure into some of these simple foods full of beauty and flavor. I learned salsa macha, part of her tortilla and egg breakfast go-to, includes sesame seeds and peanuts. Her Poppy would request a thousand of his wife’s pancakes and Moreno now serves her version with a maple syrup and butter compound. Breakfast salad with butter lettuce and quinoa is also a breakfast for this woman. Pickle brine goes into potato salad and she roasts beans to make them crispy. While many of these dishes look old-country classic, some have just a few solid ingredients and call you home. In addition to “Simple Pleasures,” is the author of “More With Less.”

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who keeps green onions going right outside her door. She wishes she had the same luck with peppers. Share with her via panews@panews.com