Symphony in Celadon

The summer garden harvest is set on Mach 5 right now from all the rain and warm weather we've been having. We haven't had to unroll the garden hose in over six weeks! Moss and watercress aren't yet sprouting in the garden patch, but needless to say, there is an abundance of veggie vitality. We've gone from hauling in the daily harvest in a colander, to a stock pot and now to a 5 gallon joint compound bucket! I have been diligent in attempting to cook up and preserve stuff each day so that we can enjoy our tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, massive amounts of cucumbers and herbs over the winter and spring when we need some green tonic.

Today's project was to cook up and freeze some of our peppers. I have some peppers left on the plants to ripen red, but these pale green beauties shown in the photo were destined to be cooked up like my Italian grandfather used to do with garlic and onions and a little hot pepper thrown in for seasoning. I remember thinking that this was pretty revolting when I was a little kid, but as an adult I can't get enough. Fried peppers can be served on bread, in omelettes and quiches, and as the basis for a lot of sauces and one-pot suppers. My Czech-born father-in-law prefers red peppers prepared this way (but hold the hot pepper!) and served with scrambled eggs, which he calls "Lecho".

I got some Cubanelle pepper plants and this pale green bell pepper variety (name forgotten) from our local garden plant grower and they have loved this summer's heat and rain combo. I planted them close together as an old gardener once advised me, for "peppers are lovers" and like to brush leaves when they are fully grown so that the plants can pollinate among themselves more easily.

Here's our Classic Fried Peppers Recipe:

1 large onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. frying peppers, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 small hot pepper (cherry bombs are great), seeded and diced (wear gloves!)

Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add onions and peppers and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Cover pan and turn heat to low and cook 30 minutes, so that peppers get silky soft and absorb maximum onion-garlic flavor. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 cups.

I am submitting this recipe to Andrea's Recipes Grow Your Own event, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary. This fun event features seasonal, home-grown and -gathered edibles and I am delighted to join other food bloggers around the globe in celebrating our garden bounty.