July 17, 2015

peter piper picked...

...a peck of purple peppers!


I don't say very many things definitively (I'm a hemmer and hawer from way back), but I will state this: Purple is my favorite color. Now, don't ask me to specify a particular shade of purple--that ain't happening. But whether I'm picking out a marker, buying a new shirt, or deciding on flowers for our wedding, purple is and probably always will be my first choice.


We got a packet of carnival mix pepper seeds, and I was delighted when the first color that emerged was purple. As it's turning out, it's the only color emerging*, but that's okay with me. I've been slipping the purple peppers into everything from pasta salad to barbecue chicken pot pie, and I finally decided that they deserved more of a spotlight.

*It just so happens that I just reaped our first orange pepper, thereby making this an inaccurate statement.


Though the (homegrown!) green beans are the major component of this dish, the peppers are not taking a backseat. Their color, crunch, and punch of flavor are all noticeable and appreciated. The color faded a bit with cooking, but I'm still absolutely delighted by my purple peppers! Maybe I can convince my beau that we should grow an entirely purple garden next year...

Green Beans and Purple Peppers
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
  • 1 cup thinly sliced purple pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
Directions:
Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain well.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add bell pepper and sauté 4 minutes or until tender.
Add green beans, vinegar, sugar, basil, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine.
Cook for a minute or two, until the beans are warmed and the sauce has thickened a bit.

16 comments:

  1. They the beans and Purple peppers look wonderful.. I like some plz.. for dinner.. I love Green beans.. Have a great day with love Janice

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  2. Green Beans and Purple Peppers sound great! I bet it tastes amazing!

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  3. Woo hoo! I love purple too and this recipe sounds great! Beans and peppers, yum! That color of flowers in a wedding would be outstanding! Off to find some purple peppers...

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  4. Lol... Yes... you do need my purple beans to add to your mix! We planted those same peppers, but learned that we should have started our little seeds a little bit earlier. Glad you did better than we did!

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  5. Honestly, i have never seen purple peppers like yours. Green beans and peppers compliment each other nicely, what a great dish.

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  6. You have a wedding coming up?? Did I miss a post somewhere?? So exciting!!
    Also, the peppers are gorgeous!

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  7. OK.

    First: Wedding?!?!?! Congrats! How exciting!!!

    Second: Purple peppers?!?!? How fun!

    I've seen purple peppers at the market. I may have to pick some up and give them a try. (Purple is my favorite color in general and my favorite veggie - eggplant - is generally a beautiful shade of purple.)

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  8. Wow I have never seen purple peppers before! They are beautiful. And I bet this was even more delicious since it was home grown!

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  9. A purple garden sounds just as marvelous as this delicious dish! Those purple peppers are really fun and beautiful.

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  10. I love it when I can find purple peppers at the farmer's market! Now you just have to find purple green beans as well - they're out there!

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  11. Purple peppers! You learn something new every day - these look both fun AND scrumptious!

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  12. Purple peppers are so pretty! I wish they kept their color when cooked. An all purple garden sounds fantastic!

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  13. I have never seen purple peppers around here but I bet they are so tasty! This is a great vegan dish Grace!

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  14. Your purple peppers are pretty! :)

    Love the simplicity of the side dish. It lets the flavors of the homegrown veggies shine!

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  15. Not a fan of peppers, but I adore green beans! Color makes everything better, don't you think?

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  16. Ooh we rarely see purple peppers here so it would be such a treat having home grown ones! :D I love the sound of this dish and my mother in law is also a purple lover!

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