Peppers: an overlooked and tasty restaurant alternative

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Short of some friendly matron delivering a laden picnic basket to your doorstep, the… ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Short of some friendly matron delivering a laden picnic basket to your doorstep, the decision to cook or not to cook often vies with the constraints of a workload. ‘ ‘ ‘ Limited time, compounded by a pantry lacking the deep stores of a parent, it might seem easier to just eat a granola bar slathered with peanut butter or boil some pasta. But you’re better than that. ‘ ‘ ‘ As the economy spirals cheerfully into the depths of a full-blown recession, imagination becomes an invaluable asset. Even while students forgo the price tags of restaurants for the aisles of the grocery store, there is no reason to wave a sad goodbye to great flavor and atmosphere. ‘ ‘ ‘ Instead of critiquing the sauces and service of one of Pittsburgh’s many fine restaurants, I’ve set my sights on the final frontier: Armed with naught but a student budget (i.e., no money at all) and the one skill college students are renowned for, resourcefulness, I aimed to convert my house into a Zagat destination. ‘ ‘ ‘ The first stop was the grocery store. There are a number of small groceries throughout Oakland, Shadyside and Squirrel Hill that can add affordable spark to your cupboards. ‘ ‘ ‘ But in order to build a pantry that can help you make dinner in a flash, Giant Eagle is a good place from which to launch. Your staples will vary depending on your tastes, but I cannot get along without these foodstuffs: fresh garlic, onion, lemon juice, salt, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, raisins, chickpeas, black beans and couscous. These few things can be worked into any number of forms, but I wanted to make something distinctive and different ‘mdash; a dish that I could make for a dinner party or something my roommates and I could eat for a weekend lunch. ‘ ‘ ‘ Enter the pepper. An unassuming vegetable, the pepper is most often found pulling shifts as salad garnish or fodder for salsa. But let’s take a moment to redraw the bell pepper’s possibilities. According to Cornell University’s horticultural Web site, green bell peppers, by weight, contain twice as much vitamin C as oranges or grapefruits, providing a whopping 134 percent of your daily recommended intake. ‘ ‘ ‘ Beyond its nutritional value, the pepper is the kitchen’s equivalent to a good wingman, always ready to jump in just when things get awkward. You have a can of black beans, half an onion and some corn hanging around? What you have, friends, is a dinner of stuffed peppers ‘mdash; there is no right or wrong, and the pepper is kind to both vegetarians and omnivores. Here is the basic equation: Vegetables and a protein, whether beans or meat, plus a carb’ (couscous, rice, pasta) equals satisfaction. ‘ ‘ ‘ I had decided to try out both meat and vegetarian stuffed peppers. My roommate Suzie and I stood in our narrow kitchen, sizing up saucepans like generals taking the measure of their troops before mounting a major offensive. The raw makings of the feast covered our kitchen’s available counter space. ‘ ‘ ‘ After organizing everything we needed, we cut the tops off of our peppers to permit filling. Then we lined a small baking dish with tin foil (you can also use a baking sheet) and popped the empty peppers into a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. ‘ ‘ ‘ While the peppers softened, we set about prepping an assortment of vegetables for the stuffing. We chopped half of an onion and six cloves of garlic, separating them into two piles to be used in both the meat and veggie fillings. Whatever ingredients you choose to throw together in your peppers, it is best to always saute garlic and onion before you add other ingredients, allowing the flavors to emerge and mingle. ‘ ‘ ‘ Suzie’s computer rolled through her iTunes library: the smooth tones of Iron and Wine, the Decembrists and other surprise musical guests added a palpable ease to our workaday experimentation. After we finished sauteing the two fillings, adjusting spices to our tastes, we filled our peppers and returned the baking dish to the oven for another 15 minutes. From start to finish, dinner took 40 minutes to assemble, prepare and cook. ‘ ‘ ‘ While we prayed for delicious outcomes, I cleared away the kitchen and set the table, creating an atmosphere I would want to eat in ‘mdash; forks and knives set, a seasonal arrangement of leftover gourds and pumpkins in the center of the table. ‘ ‘ ‘ Gray clouds hung heavily in the afternoon sky, November finally living up to its seasonal chill as my roommates and I sat down to lunch, bundled in sweaters. The peppers came steaming out of the oven. After a few thoughtful bites my roommates offered compliments and suggestions before returning reluctantly to their homework ‘mdash; though without the burden of a bill.