Cooking with Sage.

oh.  my.  god.  i just had a food orgasm.

it was perfect.  well seasoned.  time consuming, but worth it.  it was even so good we can totally disregard how i cannot eat anything a stuffed pepper in a neat and/or ladylike fashion.

yes, a stuffed pepper.  but it doesn’t have to be, if that’s not your thing.  that’s the beauty of it.

i started off with this recipe for spinach and bulgar pilaf.  this is what it became:

ingredients (this is enough to make a big ol pot.  roughly 5-6 cups.)
the ingredients listed in the original recipe were in much better proportion than my “use what i got” technique.  obviously my obsession with tomatoes and caramelized onions would incline me to use way more in the future.  but this worked fine.)
also, obviously i make meals in huge portions, it’s so i have something i can just throw in tupperware and bring to work the rest of the week.  adjust accordingly.

4 plum tomatoes.
1 t brown sugar.
1 T olive oil.
1-2 t balsamic vinegar.
2 t minced garlic.
1/2 t coriander.
1/2 t salt.

1/2 an onion, finely chopped.
1 tsp minced garlic.
1 T olive oil.
6 oz bulgar.
6 oz quinoa (RINSED).
2 1/2 cups stock (i used water).
salt and pepper.

1 large zucchini, chopped.
about 5-6 oz chopped spinach.  use as much as you want, it wilts anyway.
2 t olive oil.
hungarian paprika and ground fennel (to taste) (i used a lot)

the other half onion, finely sliced.
1/2 T olive oil.
sprinkles cinnamon and brown sugar.

and, if you’re following my lead:  1 green bell pepper and feta cheese.

1.  preheat oven to 350º F.  cut up the tomatoes, and put them in a baking dish with the brown sugar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, coriander, and salt.  stick it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.  i did this in 2 separate pots.. i don’t know quite how it would work out in just one.  divide the onion and oil among two pots over a medium heat, stirring until the onion is transluscent.  add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.  add 6 oz of each grain to each pot and cover with 1.25 cups of stock/water.  bring to a boil, then reduce both to a simmer and cover.  the bulgar should take about 15 minutes and the quinoa about 20.

3.  in a large pot over medium to high heat, combine the zucchini, oil, and spices you choose.  once these have cooked a bit, add the spinach and cook thoroughly.  if you are making this in stuffed pepper form (and i suggest you should), now is the time to stick your hollowed out pepper shells with feta cheese in the bottoms in the oven (oh yeah, you heard me.  feta cheese in the bottom.  heck yes).  once all veggies are combined you can add in the grain mixture and the roasted tomatoes.

4.  in a small frying pan, heat up the last bit of oil good and hot.  now, without burning yourself, add the sliced onions.  cook until they are crispy and brown, and add the cinnamon and brown sugar.  cook about a minute longer until the resemble all that is good and beautiful in the world.

now, stuff the pepper and then stuff your face.  or, use this as a side dish.  or a main dish, sans pepper.  it would probably be really, really good with toasted sunflower/pumpkin seeds or pine nuts.  i’m serious, this will change your life.  it also goes really well with barefoot moscato wine.  alas now due to my exam tomorrow, i’m switching to coffee and headed out to study……