On a cold winter day it is natural to select hot foods to warm our bodies. Adding a touch of fresh-ground black pepper will increase the heat, flavour and the comforting effect. Pepper aids digestion and will naturally warm the body.
Pepper was once used as currency and a sacred offering. It is now the most popular of spices.
Native to India and Indonesia, the pepper plant is a smooth woody vine that can grow up to 33 feet in hot and humid tropical climates. After three to four years, the vines begin to bear small white clusters of flowers that develop into berries or peppercorns.
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The berry is picked when it is not quite ripe, then dried to become the black peppercorns, which are the most common.
When fully ripe berries are picked and dried, they become the milder white pepper.
Cheddar and Black Pepper Biscuits
These cheese filled peppery biscuits are a great accompaniment for any soup or stew on a cold winter day.
- 1 tbsp. butter, melted 15 mL
- 1 c. all-purpose flour 250 mL
- 1 c. whole wheat flour 250 mL
- 1 tbsp. baking powder 15 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/2 c. cold butter, 125 mL
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese, 115 g
- cut into 1/4 inch
- (.5 cm) cubes
- 1 tsp. freshly ground 5 mL
- black pepper
- 1 c. sour cream 250 mL
- 1 tbsp. water 15 mL
- Melt butter and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C).
- Line a baking sheet or a cake pan with parchment paper or lightly butter the surface with a little of the melted butter.
- The choice of pan will determine the outcome of the biscuits, for a crispy exterior, set biscuits about 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet. For moister, fluffier biscuits, place close together in a cake pan.
- Combine flours, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add cold butter and cut into dry ingredients using two knives, a pastry blender or your hands. Work butter in well, until it is reduced to pea-sized pieces. Mix in cheese and black pepper.
- Mix water and sour cream together. Add to flour cheese mixture and mix briefly, just to incorporate. It is very important not to overwork dough or biscuits will not be delicate and light.
- Place dough on a smooth, well-floured surface and pat with your hands to flatten, fold over and pat down again. Do this three times, then pat down to about 3/4 inch (1.5 cm) thickness and cut out biscuits with a glass or cookie cutter.
- Dip cutter into flour between cuts to keep dough from sticking to the cutter. Place biscuits on or in the prepared pan of choice.
- The remaining dough may be gently gathered together and patted out again for more biscuits. Brush top of biscuits with melted butter. Bake 10 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Pan biscuits will take a little longer. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Serve warm.
Adapted from The Texas Cowboy Kitchen by Grady Spears with June Naylor
Roasted Sugar Snap Peas with Black Pepper
- 1 lb. sugar snap peas .5 kg
- canola or other vegetable oil
- fine sea salt
- coarse black pepper
- Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C).
- Toss peas with a sprinkling of canola oil, lightly season with sea salt and liberally with black pepper. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast until browned at the edges, but still crunchy, 10 to 12 minutes. This is a quick and easy side dish that pairs well with just about any main dish.
Adapted from www.foodnetwork.ca
Quick Pepper Dressing
- 3/4 c. olive or canola oil 175 mL
- 1/4 c. lemon juice 60 mL
- salt to taste
- cracked black pepper,
- generous amount to taste
- Place in a jar, seal and shake to mix, serve on greens.
Peppery beef stew
-
This spicy hearty stew is one of our family’s favourites.
- 2 lbs. stew beef cut into 1 kg
- 1/2 -3/4 inch (1 – 1.5 cm)
- cubes
- 1 c. white or whole 250 mL
- wheat flour
- 2 1/2 tbsp. Montreal 37 mL
- steak spice
- 1 tbsp. oil 15 mL
- 1 c. water 250 mL
- 13 fl oz. tomato sauce 369 mL
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire 15 mL
- Sauce
- 1 large onion, chopped (optional)
- 4 – 5 potatoes, cubed
- 4 – 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 c. frozen peas 250 mL
- 1 c. frozen corn 250 mL
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Cut meat into cubes and remove excess fat. Mix flour and steak spice in a large bowl. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, add oil and spread to coat the foil. Toss meat with flour and spices, shake off excess flour and place meat on lined, oiled cookie sheet. Save the excess flour for later.
- Place meat in oven and cook 12 to 15 minutes, turn meat and cook an additional 10 – 12 minutes, until meat is browning.
- Remove from oven and place meat in a slow cooker. Pour some of the water on cookie sheet to loosen meat bits and add to meat. Combine tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce with remaining water and reserved spiced flour. Pour over meat and mix. Set on high heat and cover slow cooker.
- Prepare onions, potatoes and carrots. Place vegetables on top of meat and sauce. Cover.
- Cook six hours, check vegetables. If still firm, stir vegetables into meat and sauce to cook an additional hour. Add more hot water if needed.
- About half an hour before serving, place frozen peas and carrots on top of meat, return cover to cooker and cook for 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in vegetables.
- This recipe reheats well in the microwave.
- This stew can be cooked in a covered Dutch oven in a 350 F (180 C) oven. The potatoes and carrots should be added and stirred into the meat and sauce about three hours before serving.
