Roasted Tomato-Stewed Potatoes with Hungarian Hot Peppers

SO, I KIND OF OVERDID did it last night with the drinking. And as is Murphy's Law in my apartment, the mornings I wake up with the worse hangovers are also the ones where there happens to be absolutely no food whatsoever in my apartment to cook and/or eat. So, often, I find myself making an early run to the local supermarket, still cobweb-headed and headached, to pick up groceries that would soon be enthusiastically consumed.

On this morning, I did happen to only have some Hungarian hot peppers—a gift from a friend whose Hungarian father is a produce wholesaler—so as I headed to the neighborhood Fairway, I imagined any number of proteins I could I could add the peppers to in a stew preparation.

Once at Fairway, I bee-lined to the beef department that, at that exact moment, was still being stocked. (This was at 7:30 in the morning; I get drunk early, get home early and get up early.) Since they hadn't stocked the larger cuts of beef yet, I decided to get the rest of the ingredients for this beef stew. picking up a couple of Idaho potatoes, a can of chopped roasted tomatoes, and a bulb of shallot. I then paid up and left Fairway.

It wasn't until I got home that I realized that I forgot to go back to the meat section; I had come home without any meat whatsoever.

Frustrated, yes, but more hungry and impatient, I figured I'd instead make a stew with the potato as the base. I slice the shallots and sweated them in some olive oil with salt and fresh-cracked pepper. I then cored and seeded two of the Hungarian hot peppers, slicing them crosswise and throwing them into the saucepan with the shallots, sautéing them briefly.

I added the chopped roasted tomatoes, some thyme and basil, and cup and a half of water. I did a very large dice on the potatoes—skin still on—and added them to the still simmering liquid. I covered the pot and let the whole shebang simmer for about 45 minutes, letting most of the liquid reduce into more of a sauce-like consistency. Once ready, I served it in bowl, topping it off with a few raw slices of the Hungarian peppers.

The final result was i yummy, hearty, aromatic, spicy dish, where the potatoes, with their large chunks, provided a meaty bite while the sweetness of the roasted and cooked tomatoes tempered the rich, deep, front and back heat of the peppers.

I haven't really featured side dishes here on PHUDE—they're usually the supporting player. But one bowl of this had me completely sated. I felt I had eaten a whole meal, and the long-lingering residual spicy heat assisted in helping me sweat any leftover toxins out of my pores.

I have about 4 of those Hungarian peppers left, and although I still look forward eventually incorporate them in a meat dish, I can easily see myself making this dish at least one more time before I run out of the peppers.

Now if I could only remember where I put my glasses....


Roasted Tomato-Stewed Potatoes with Hungarian Hot Peppers

Roasted Tomato-Stewed Potatoes with Hungarian Hot Peppers

Roasted Tomato-Stewed Potatoes with Hungarian Hot Peppers

Roasted Tomato-Stewed Potatoes with Hungarian Hot Peppers


Bun Apple Tea!

KACnyc


Roasted Tomato-Stewed Potatoes with Hungarian Hot Peppers