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By Suzanne Carreiro, January 27, 2011 17:16

Ciao a tutti,

I am finally back in the kitchen, walking pretty well, after a fall that broke both ankles in early September.  Now that I’m better I hope to stay in touch weekly.

I thought you might enjoy the soup I made for lunch today—Pappa al pomodoro.  This Tuscan tomato and bread soup is very tasty and easy-to-make.  And it’s practically a pantry dish.  In the winter, I use canned tomatoes, but when tomatoes are in season, I replace them with fresh, peeled and seeded San Marzano or Roma tomatoes. When I have more time, I sometimes add a small carrot (peeled and diced), a stalk of celery (diced), and a handful of diced onion.  I sauté the vegetables with the garlic, adding a few tablespoons of water and cooking until the vegetables are very tender, about half an hour.

By the way, in a couple of months, my ankles/feet will be back to normal, so I hope to add cooking classes to my schedule.  Please check my Classes and Book Signings page every now and then.

Cin cin, Suzanne

Pappa al pomodoro–Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup

PRINT PAPPA AL POMODORO RECIPE

Yield:  3 or 4 servings (about 5 cups)

4 to 5 ounces (about 1/3 loaf) stale Italian bread (see Note, below)

1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes with juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

3 or 4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup packed parsley, chopped or 12 fresh basil leaves, torn

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 to 6 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade

Freshly grated black pepper

Finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Cut the bread into 3/4 inch thick slices.  Tear into 3/4-inch cubes; set aside (or toast if not stale, see Note, below).  Remove the tomatoes from the juice; reserve the juice and chop the tomatoes.  Heat the oil over medium in a large pot; add the garlic.  Cook until tender but not brown, about 1 minute.  Add the parsley, salt, and red pepper; cook 30 seconds.  Stir in the tomatoes and tomato juice.  Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Use an immersion blender to puree some of the tomatoes, leaving some chunks.  (Alternatively, smash the tomatoes with a fork.)  Stir in 5 cups of the broth; bring to a boil over high heat.  Simmer gently over low heat for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the bread; simmer until the bread is soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the remaining broth (and/or water, as needed) if too thick; heat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  At the table, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the cheese.

Note: Ciabatta, Pugliese, or Italian batard are ideal breads for this recipe.  If you cannot find Italian bread, non-sourdough French bread will work. If using fresh bread, you’ll need to dry it out. Preheat the oven to 300^oF.  Arrange the torn bread cubes on a large baking sheet; bake until slightly dry, tossing a couple of times, 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Comments (1)

By Suzanne Carreiro, October 21, 2010 14:49

Umbertide (Umbria, Italy)

Giaccomo’s Panzanella

In my last post, I talked about eating panzanella as part of an antipasto platter at L’Osteria in Aboca (Tuscany).  The photo of the antipasto plate, with a mound of this bread salad, comes from our lunch at the Osteria, but the recipe comes from an Umbrian friend named Giaccomo.  My neighbor Mario introduced me to Giaccomo, a young chemist with a passion for cooking traditional recipes.

Bread salad might sound strange, but I love the vinaigrette dressed bread dotted with crisp vegetables. Giaccomo uses whatever is on hand—lettuce, carrots, onions, celery, cucumbers, red or yellow bell peppers. When tomatoes are in season, I add super-sweet cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters.

For the best texture, thinly slice the lettuce, and cut the vegetables into 3/16 to 1/4-inch cubes—the smaller the better.  Steer away from sourdough bread—its flavor is too strong.

One November evening, Giaccomo and a group of Mario’s friends came to my place for dinner.  Giaccomo had agreed to teach me a few of his favorite dishes—panzanella was one of them.  As usual, the young crowd arrived late so we didn’t start cooking until 8:30—dinner was ready at 10:30.  But what a great time we had—we ate and sipped wine and laughed until 2:30 in the morning!

PRINT PANZANELLA RECIPE

Yield:  About 8 cups

3 tablespoons cider vinegar (or more)

1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon other brands or types of salt)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more)

1/4 small red onion, finely chopped

12 ounces stale Italian bread, such as ciabatta or Pugliese (about 3 days old—but not hard)

3 cups thinly sliced Romaine lettuce

1 medium carrot, cut into 3/16 to 1/4-inch cubes

1 medium celery stalk, cut into 3/16 to 1/4-inch pieces

1/4 cup chiffonade (thinly sliced) of basil

Mix together the 3 tablespoons of vinegar with the salt and pepper in a small bowl; whisk in the 1/3 cup of oil.  Add the onion; marinate it in the dressing for about 10 minutes.  Cut the bread crosswise into 1-inch thick slices.  Put the bread into a large bowl; cover with cold water until very soft, about 4 minutes (leave hard crust in longer, as needed).  Immediately drain the bread into a colander.  Use the back of a wooden spoon to force out the excess water.  Squeeze a small handful of bread at a time to remove as much water as possible (it should be moist but not wet).  Tear each handful of bread into small pieces; put the bread bits into a large bowl.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onion to the bowl of bread (set aside the dressing).  Add the lettuce, carrot, celery, and basil; toss.  Add dressing to taste; toss to coat all ingredients—it needs lots of dressing (without swimming in it) to make it delicious.  Adjust the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste.

Book News: I just found out that my book, The Dog Who Ate the Truffle: A Memoir of Stories and Recipes from Umbria, was number 6 on the best seller list in Marin County the week of August 29.

Comments (0)

By Suzanne Carreiro, October 15, 2010 08:04

Next Events: November 9, 2010–National Press Club Book Fair, Washington, DC. November 10, 2010 Arlington, VA Library.

Lunch at L’Osteria in Aboca

Last July, Bill and I had the most delicious lunch with my “adopted” Umbrian son Mario at L’Osteria in Aboca, just a few minutes from his office at Aboca (Italy’s leading producer of herbal supplements).

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Lunch at L’ Osteria in Aboca was one of the best meals we had during our month-long stay in Umbria.  The restaurant is in the hills above Sansepolcro in Tuscany—a bit out of the way—but worth the drive.  I suggest making a day of it.  Visit Aboca Museum in Sansepolcro—and then wander around the town, either before or after your meal.

The day we went, all of Europe was experiencing a heat wave.  But since Aboca is in the hills, we were comfortable sitting outside on the terrace across the street from the restaurant.  The service was very friendly and the menu enticing.  The homemade ravioli were exquisite.

We started with fritto misto.  The dish was perfect—the lightly battered zucchini blossoms, porcini mushrooms, and thinly sliced zucchini arrived hot and crispy with just the right amount of salt.  Next we ate an abundant platter of antipasto misto dell’osteria. Panzanella (my next post will include a recipe for this bread salad). Melon and prosciutto.  Slivered, pickled zucchini.  Burrata with basil.  Dried sausage.  Salami.  Pecorino cheese with currant jam.  Four kinds of crostini—sliced bread: (1) topped with Gorgonzola dolce and thinly sliced pancetta, (2) spread with bulk sausage, topped with a slice of brie, toasted until cooked, (3) covered with traditional liver pâté, (4) topped with warm tomato sauce. The two antipasti plates would have been enough lunch for two, but heck, we were in Italy, and we wanted to eat a multi-course Italian meal.

Bill and I each ordered ravioli for our first course (Mario skipped il primo piatto).  The ravioli were house-made and as good as any I’ve had.  Mine were filled with potato and creamy crescenza cheese and garnished with butter and spinach.  Bill’s were filled with ricotta and spinach, served with a rich meat sauce.  Wow.

Bill and I shared grilled veal on a bed of arugula—perfectly cooked but a little chewy.  Mario ordered grilled pork with balsamic vinegar.  Both secondi piatti were tasty, but the pork was my favorite.  We shared an insalata mista.

We were too full for dolce, but I bet whatever they offered would have been delicious.

L’Osteria in Aboca

Fraz Aboca, 11

52037 . Sansepolcro (AR)

Tuscany, Italy

Telephone: (from USA, add 011 39) 0575 749 125

Closed Monday

Aboca Museum

Palazzo Bourbon del Monte V

Via Niccolò Aggiunti 75

52037 Sansepolcro (AR) Italy

Telephone:  (from USA, add 011 39) 0575 733589

Next post:  Giaccomo’s recipe for Panzanella.

Comments (8)

By Suzanne Carreiro, July 9, 2010 02:56

PRINT spaghetti-gricia recipe

Spaghetti alla gricia

Umbertide, July 9, 2010

I just heard back from the subscriber who won the first cookbook in my drawing–until now I had only her email address.  Her name is Sally Free from Cape Coral, Florida.  The next drawing is Monday.

I craved pasta at lunchtime yesterday, but I didn’t feel like shopping for ingredients or spending much time cooking.  It was too hot.  So I dug up my notes from eating in Rome at Armando al Pantheon.  The small intimate restaurant—just a few steps from the Pantheon—was so popular that I was unable to get in after I fell in love with this dish on my first visit.  So if you go, I suggest you make a reservation.

The sauce is made with guanciale (made from pork jowl), but pancetta or bacon will do.  If you use bacon, you’ll need to drain some of the fat after sautéing.  The classic cheese for this dish is pecorino Romano, a sharp, salty cheese, but since I am in Umbria, I used the region’s traditional aged pecorino.  For a milder dish, you can use Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Here is my version of the dish .  Buon appetito!  Suzanne

Spaghetti alla gricia 

Yield:  2 servings

8 ounces dry spaghetti

3 ounces thinly sliced guanciale, diced

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1-1/2 ounces (a large handful) grated aged Umbrian or Tuscan pecorino

Kosher salt

Freshly grated black pepper

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted water until just al dente (usually 1 minute less than package directions); drain but reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.  Return the spaghetti to the pot.
2. While the spaghetti cooks, sauté the guanciale in a large saucepan in 1/2 tablespoon of the oil until cooked but not crisp.  Stir the cooked spaghetti into the saucepan with the guanciale.  Toss well; add several tablespoons of the reserved cooking water.
3. Cook about 1 minute over low heat, adding more liquid, if needed, to keep it moist.  It is ready when the spaghetti has absorbed the flavor of the guanciale and the spaghetti is al dente.  Remove from the heat; stir in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil and the cheese.  Toss to evenly coat; season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Note:  The recipe can be doubled.

Armando al Pantheon

Salita dei Crescenzi, 31

Rome, Italy

Phone: 06.688.03034  .  www.armandoalpantheon.it

Comments (4)

By Suzanne Carreiro, July 7, 2010 00:10

Bevagna, Umbria (Italia)

Print Onofri Review

Ciao a tutti,

The day of Il Mercato delle Gaite in Bevagna, outside in the streets it was unbearably hot so around noon we sought refuge inside.  We were turned down at every restaurant—they were already packed.  I soon realized that we should have made a reservation.  Fortunately, we happened upon the menu for Ristorante Onofri posted on a wall.  I had eaten there a few times and loved it, so we wandered around until we found the place.  Since Onofri is in a neighborhood away from the festivities, the place was practically empty—and cool. 

We decided that a long lunch would be a good idea—to escape the heat.  The interior had all of the charm and warmth you’d expect in a nice Italian ristorante.  Arched brick ceilings, ancient polished brick floors, dark wooden chairs with rush seats, and a fireplace at the end of the room.  I suspect the thirteen mini apartments in the Onofri Locanda (inn) are just as lovely.

The wine list boasts over four hundred wines—local, Italian, and foreign.  And everything on the menu sounded delicious—traditional flavors with a contemporary flair.  For antipasto, Bill ordered Brie con pancetta e patate (with bacon and potatoes) for 6.5 euro.  A warm 3-inch round of brie arrived wrapped in a few crisp pieces of pancetta, sitting on a bed of chopped lettuce and a few slices of roasted potatoes.  The soft brie and the rich, salty bacon were lovely together; the greens and potatoes were superfluous.

I ordered Fiori di zucchina gratinati con ricotta di bufala, su crema di pomodori arrosto e olio al basilico for 8.5 euro.  Three beautiful zucchini blossoms arrived, filled with creamy, heavenly ricotta and topped with melted cheese and a dusting of fine bread crumbs.  I’ve never tasted ricotta so fresh and sumptuous in the USA.  The roasted tomato sauce under the flowers was light and delicious with a whiff of basil.

For my next dish, I ordered Picchiarelli con fave, guanciale e pecorino—thick, handmade egg-less spaghetti, a traditional local pasta.  It was an excellent choice.  The fava beans were fresh and plentiful.  Guanciale—similar to pancetta but more delicate and delicious—and pecorino cheese added richness and saltiness to the otherwise bland pasta. 

Bill skipped the pasta and went straight to il secono piatto (the second plate), Tagliata di vitello bianco da latte con fave, piselli e fagiolini (milk-fed veal steak with fava beans, peas, and green beans) for 15 euro.  The thick steak, sliced into medallions, was tender and juicy. In Umbria, meat is usually cooked until well done, but Onofri cooked it perfectly, to order.

We ended the meal with an insalata mista (mixed salad)—we were too stuffed to eat dessert.

To date, this is the best meal we have eaten out.

A presto, Suzanne

Enoteca – Locanda Piazza Onofri

Via Onofri, 2

Bevagna, Umbria

Phone:  0742/361-926

Closed Wednesday

Comments (0)

By Suzanne Carreiro, July 3, 2010 03:50

July 2, 2010 (2 luglio)

Umbertide, Umbria (Italia)

Ciao a tutti,

There are so many things that I love here in Umbria that we don’t have in the Napa Valley where I live.  One of them is schiacciata con cipolla (also called pizza con cipolla—with onions).  In the States we would probably call it focaccia because it is more like flat bread with lots of olive oil.  At its best, the pizza is crisp on the bottom, not too thick, and seasoned with lots of olive oil and a bit of rosemary.  The thinly sliced onions should be sweet and salty but not overbearing.

If you come to Umbertide, the best place to buy pizza con cipolla is at Il Forno Bastianelli. Look for the sign, Il Forno (the oven), on the left side on the street below La Rocca (The Fort), just past the parking lot, heading to the hospital.  The address is Piazza Marconi, 4, Umbertide.  Phone:  075-941-1545.

There is a deep pink apartment building next door on the right.  If you don’t make it to Umbertide, ask for the pizza at bakeries around Umbria.  You can also find the recipe–Focaccia with Onions and Rosemary–on page 17 in my book.

Ciao, Suzanne

Comments (1)

By Suzanne Carreiro, May 25, 2010 15:40

A beautiful bunch of young lacinato kale.

Last week at the St. Helena Farmers’ Market, I bought one of my favorite greens—lacinato kale.  Today, the kale awaits me.  It is gloomy here, raining—practically unheard of in Napa Valley during the month of May.  So I am pondering what to have for dinner…hmmm—Zuppa con cavolo nero e fagioli. But first, what the heck is lacinato kale?

Lacinato Kale

What is it?

Lacinato kale—long stemmed, with frilly, blistered leaves—is one of the darkest greens in the Cruciferae plant family (Brassica Oleracea species, Acephala group), a very nutritious collection of vegetables that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  Lacinato kale’s deep bluish green-black leaves make it one of the most nutritious among its cousins—cabbage, watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, collard greens, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

What to look for

At the store, the vegetable is called lacinato, dino, dinosaur, Tuscan, or black kale.  In Italy, it is called cavolo nero (black cabbage).  Look for fresh (not wilted), tender dark green leaves—the smaller the leaf, the more tender and delicate.  Non-organic kale is often heavily sprayed, so organic kale is a much better choice.

Note: Visit the Environmental Working Group’s website (www.foodnews.org) to read about the “Dirty Dozen” (http://www.foodnews.org/methodology.php), produce with the highest levels of pesticides.

Bowl of Lacinata Kale and Bean Soup

When is it in season?

In California, lacinato kale is generally available year-round at supermarkets and farmers’ markets, but the prime season is winter, spring, and fall.

How to store and prepare

Drop the kale into a large bowl (or salad spinner) filled with cold water; gently swish the stalks around to remove any dirt—this may take two or three bowlfuls of fresh water.  The kale is clean when no grit remains in the bottom of the bowl.  When clean, rather than draining it into a colander, scoop the kale out of the water by hand just in case there is fine dirt left on the bottom.  Drain the leaves well (or spin them dry in the salad spinner).  Wrap the leaves in a clean towel; store in a plastic bag in a crisper drawer in the refrigerator for up to several days. (Note: flavors and nutrition deteriorate as the kale ages). Just before cooking, for more tender kale, cut the leaves off the stems using kitchen shears (usually a good idea if the leaves are large).

What to do with it

Like spinach and chard, lacinato kale has a green flavor but with a slightly bitter, astringent quality and a peppery background.  The Italians cook the kale in extra virgin olive oil with garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and plenty of salt to help mellow it out.  The sautéed kale makes one of the most traditional—and popular—toppings for crostini in Tuscany, and it’s also delicious on pizza with sautéed onions, diced almost-crisp pancetta, and plenty of salt and olive oil.  In Italy, cavolo nero is served alongside roasted, grilled, or braised meats and poultry, but it is also makes a quick sauce for pasta. In Umbria, sautéed greens are tucked inside torta al testo (griddle bread) with grilled sausage or cheese.  Lacinato kale—and chard—is an important ingredient in many soups, from minestrone to ribollita.  A recipe for a quick Italian soup follows.

Zuppa con cavolo nero e fagioli—Lacinato Kale and Bean Soup

PRINT Zuppa con cavolo nero e fagioli

Seme di melone pasta

After a conversation with my friend and colleague Rita Held about her husband’s kale and bean soup, I rushed out to buy lacinato kale to make my own version.  The soup is quick and easy to make—and it is really delicious.

For the pasta, tiny soup pasta is ideal.  De Cecco sells several kinds—stellette (tiny stars), riso (rice), and seme di melone (melon seeds), my favorite.  Any of these will do.  If you have fresh soup pasta—it’s even better than dried—add it during the last few minutes of cooking.

Here is my rendition of the soup.

Yield: About 6-1/2 cups (3 main-dish servings or 6 first-course servings)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for garnish

Lacinato kales simmers in broth

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 slices pancetta or bacon, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

6 cups homemade chicken broth

1 large bunch lacinato kale or chard, chopped

1 (14 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained

1/2 cup dried tiny soup pasta, such as seme di melone or riso

Cannellini beans are added to the soup

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Shredded or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the oil.  When hot, sauté the onion, pancetta, and garlic in the oil until the onion is tender and the pancetta is cooked but not crisp.  (If using bacon, you might want to drain off some of the fat.)  Add the broth; bring to a boil over high heat.  Immediately stir in the kale and reduce the heat; simmer until the kale is just

Seme di melone pasta cooks until al dente

tender, about 12 minutes.  Add the beans and pasta; cook until the pasta is al dente (refer to the package directions for cooking time).  If the pasta absorbs too much liquid add a little more broth or water.  Adjust the salt to taste; season with pepper as desired.  Drizzle each serving with a little of the oil.  Pass the cheese at the table.

Notes: Al dente means the pasta gives some resistance when bitten into—it should not be soft. For a really fast soup, substitute one quart canned chicken broth plus two cups water for the homemade broth.

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By Suzanne Carreiro, April 8, 2010 10:15

On one of my visits to Umbria, my good friend Michela’s daughter had just turned six months.  Baby Giulia had a good appetite—and maybe some of that had to do with what Michela fed her.  Italian baby food (la pappa) has a lot of appeal.  For dinner one evening, Michela made vegetable broth from scratch and stirred in rice cereal until it was the consistency of mush.  Next she added pureed meat that she bought in jars at the pharmacy.

“But the secret to la pappina—the baby’s little meal—,” said Michela, “is the extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that I add.”

The pharmacy in downtown Umbertide (Michela’s hometown) sells an interesting array of baby food.  Along with fruits and vegetables, they offer a variety of meats that you don’t see here—horse, rabbit, prosciutto.  There is also a baby-food brand of extra virgin olive oil.  And supermarkets sell small water bottles, specifically for babies and young children.

As a toddler, Giulia ate her multi-course dinner early in the evening.  Her favorite antipasto (appetizer) was crostini con fegato (liver pâté on bread), but she also devoured pecorino cheese, prosciutto, mortadella, and salami. Next came pasta, usually something Michela’s mother had made by hand.  Giulia could eat more of her nonna’s cappelletti in brodo than even the adults could.  The second course would be meat—pork cutlets, rack of lamb, roast duck or chicken, sautéed fish, meatballs, or sausage.  She ate roasted potatoes with abandon and loved her grandmother Paola’s homemade bread.  At two, Giulia had the appetite of a contadina who had spent her days in the field.

Would American kids have more sophisticated palates if their baby pablum included olive oil and Parmigiano cheese? Or if we served crackers with pecorino cheese instead of rubbery slices of American cheese.  Or mortadella instead of baloney?

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By Suzanne Carreiro, March 10, 2010 16:47

Macedonia di frutta

In homes across Umbria, a bowl or basket of fresh, seasonal fruit—whole bananas, golden pears, mandarin oranges the size of ping-pong balls, and bunches of grapes—is usually brought to the table at the end of lunch and dinner.  When a medley of bite-size fruit, called macedonia di frutta, is served instead, I am in heaven!  The secret to a really good macedonia is the addition of a dessert wine, such as Umbria’s beloved vinsanto or port, and fresh lemon juice.  To make macedonia, choose three or more fresh fruits—bananas, grapes, cherries, pineapple, berries, pears, apples, peaches, kiwis, oranges—but not melon.  Peel the fruit as needed and cut it into bite-size pieces.  Sprinkle the fruit to taste with sugar, fresh lemon juice (and fresh orange juice, if you wish), and a splash of dessert wine.  Toss until the fruit is well coated.  Set aside at least one-half hour before serving so the sugar and juices turn into a syrupy sauce and the flavors have a chance to marry.

Comments (1)

By Suzanne Carreiro, January 10, 2010 17:59

Novella's daughter Analisa spreading jam over slices of pecorino cheese.

I am so addicted to this jam!  I served it on pecorino cheese as an appetizer over the holidays–everyone loved it.  Its spiciness is reminiscent of jalapeno jelly, but this jam is much more interesting and complex.  My friend Novella, a shop owner and ceramic artist in Deruta, Umbria, served this pepper jam when I dined at her house.  She is just one of the cooks I met in Umbria when I was working on my book.

The jam is also delicious on Manchego, fresh mozarella, or ricotta cheese.  Novella also likes it on boiled beef.

Novella tasted this jam while traveling in the Italian region of Puglia–it is not a traditional Umbrian recipe.  She liked it so much she came home and developed her own recipe for it. Novella is a very good cook–there are a couple of her recipes in my book The Dog Who Ate The Truffle.

Although the jam on cheese makes a great holiday appetizer, summer is a good time to make the jam because red bell peppers are more economical.

Ingredients for making Spicy Pepper Jam.

Simmering bell and chile peppers in water.

Spicy Pepper Jam

Marmelata di peperoni

Print Spicy Pepper Jam Recipe

Yield: About 1-1/2 cups

3 large red bell peppers

15 small dried red chile peppers (see Note, below)

1-1/2 cups water

3/4 cup sugar

An immersion blender makes pureeing in the saucepan easy.

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons honey

1. Core, seed, and chop the bell peppers. Put the bell and chile peppers into a medium saucepan; add the 1-1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 12 minutes.

Small jars--less than 1/2 cup volume--are ideal.

2. Remove and discard the chile peppers; use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the bell peppers with the cooking liquid. Be careful when using an immersion blender–the mixture might splatter.

3. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often and adjusting the heat to prevent a boil-over. Remove from the heat when the mixture is the consistency of a fairly thick jam and it has a slight sheen, 18 to 20 minutes.  Stir in the honey.

Check out the plates in the back--hand-painted by Novella.

4. Spoon the jam into canning/freezer jars. Seal; refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 4 months.

Note:  Look for the chile peppers in the spice section of the grocery store.  Sometimes they are available in bags in the international section near Mexican and Asian ingredients.