10,000 pepper recipes

Adapted from “Jacques Pépin Celebrates” (Knopf, 2001)- New York Times

Fresh garden tomato pasta salad with Roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and a full cup of fresh basil. Served hot or chilled, this simple summer pasta celebrates peak-season tomatoes.

Corn and zucchini casserole with a creamy bechamel, melty Monterey Jack cubes, and a garlic-oregano breadcrumb topping. A summer-harvest bake from Gold Medal flour.

Oven-baked crispy fried chicken with a flour, bread crumb, and paprika coating. All the crunch of fried, none of the oil splatter, ready in about an hour.

Instead of lighting the barbecue, turn on your crockpot so you can enjoy this succulent dish that will satisfy your hunger.

Anchovies seem to have a natural affinity with veal - consider ossi buci, for instance, those not in the know usually cannot pick the presence of anchovies in this pot-roasted dish, but they do rave about the flavour.

Pinto beans simmered in beer and chicken stock with rendered bacon, sliced jalapeños, garlic, onion, and fresh cilantro. A smoky, spicy Tex-Mex side known as frijoles borrachos that pairs with anything off the grill.

Mango papaya chutney simmers ripe tropical fruit with apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, fresh ginger, garlic, chili, raisins, and allspice for a tangy-sweet condiment that pairs with curries, cheese, or grilled meats.

Basic bread stuffing with toasted bread cubes, butter-softened onions and celery, sage, and parsley moistened with turkey stock. The classic Thanksgiving stuffing that fills a 12 to 14-pound bird.

Creamy cauliflower soup made with skim milk and a light roux base, finished with white pepper and nutmeg. Lower-calorie, silky, and ready in an hour.

Easy roasted vegetable pasta sauce with oven-roasted red peppers, onions, and garlic folded into jarred spaghetti sauce with sauteed mushrooms and fresh basil. A semi-homemade upgrade.

Pan-seared filet mignon topped with melting Gorgonzola-rosemary butter, served alongside creamy whipped potatoes. A French bistro date night dinner for two, ready in under 30 minutes.

Poached eggs with smoky chipotle cream sauce over cornbread. A Mexican brunch plate that swaps hollandaise for rehydrated chipotle chiles simmered in sage and thyme cream.

Pasta with Mizithra cheese tossed in garlic olive oil with Parmesan and fresh parsley. A simple Greek-Italian pasta side dish where two sharp cheeses and good olive oil do all the work.

German bacon rouladen: paper-thin round steak smeared with Dijon, rolled around bacon and onion, browned in flour, then braised in its own pan gravy. A classic Bavarian comfort-food roll.

So so so good! My whole family loved it, and it didn't last long. I'm sure that my husband will ask me to make it again very soon. Just wait and see :)