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With the humidity, heat and rain the past few weeks, our pepper plants have absolutely exploded. We are on the cusp of picking the first few green peppers, and our habaneros and jalapenos look to be our healthiest yet.

I’m excited for jam making season with how many big, beautiful peppers we’ll have this year!

Since I shared 4th of July recipes last week and I’ll do Karl Oskar-related recipes next week, we can squeeze a pepper treat in this week’s column space!

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The key to a good Philly is twofold. The first is good meat. I used to use the prepacked cheesesteak meat, and it’s fine, but using a legit ribeye and slicing it thin brings this up to a much higher level of quality.

The second key is in the bun. A nice, fresh hoagie roll is a must here. They do a great job soaking up the juices and oil from the steak and veggies, but still feature a firm, solid outside that’s easy to hold.

PHILLY 

CHEESESTEAK

1 lb. ribeye steak, trimmed and thinly sliced*

1/2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

1 sweet onion, (large), diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

8 slices provolone cheese, mild (not aged provolone)

4 hoagie rolls, sliced 3/4 through

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1 garlic clove, pressed

2-4 tbsp. mayonnaise, or to taste

Slice hoagie rolls 3/4 of the way through with a serrated knife. Dice onions and peppers and thinly slice beef. (If you want to make this easier, put your steak in a freezer for about 30 minutes beforehand. It helps hold the shape while you cut.)

In a small bowl, stir together softened butter with 1 pressed garlic clove. Spread garlic butter onto the cut sides of 4 hoagie roll. Toast the buns on a large skillet, flat cooktop or griddle on medium heat until golden brown then set aside.

Add oil to your pan/cooktop and sautee diced onions and peppers until caramelized then transfer to a bowl.

Increase to high heat and add 1 tbsp. oil. Spread the super thinly sliced steak in an even layer. Let brown for a couple of minutes undisturbed then flip and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Sautee until steak is fully cooked through then stir in the caramelized onions.

Divide into four even portions and top each with two slices of cheese and turn off the heat so the cheese will melt without overcooking the meat.

Spread a thin layer of mayo on the toasted side of each roll. Working with one portion at a time, place a toasted bun over each portion and use a spatula to scrape the cheesy beef into your bun as you flip it over. Serve warm.

A pro tip at this stage is to wrap each cheesesteak tightly in tinfoil and let sit for about five minutes.

This really marries the sandwich ingredients together. The mayo will be warm and almost saucy, the cheese will be oh-so-gooey and engulf the meat and veggies, and it will just be an amazing experience.

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CROCKPOT STUFFED PEPPER SOUP 

1 lb. ground beef, extra-lean recommended

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. tomatoes, diced

2 c. tomato sauce

3 c. bell peppers, any color, seeded, cored and chopped diced

2 c. beef broth, reduced sodium recommended

1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. Italian seasoning, see note

1 c. cooked white rice

To the slow cooker, add the beef, onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bell peppers, broth, soy sauce, Italian seasoning and cooked rice.

Cover and close the crock pot lid. Cook on a low setting for 6 hours.

Remove the lid and taste the soup. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to adjust the flavor to your liking.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish with optional parsley and cheese.

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This recipe is a bit more fitting for the summer season here, as it’s a cool appetizer!

MEXICAN PINWHEELS

1 green onion

1/2 red pepper and 1/2  orange pepper (or 1 red pepper)

1/2 c.black beans

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp.  cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2/3 c. classic hummus

1/2 c. baby spinach

1/4 c. shredded cheese 

2 large spinach wraps

1/2 c. salsa, for serving (optional)

Thinly slice the green onion, red pepper and orange pepper. In a small bowl, mix the black beans and sliced vegetables with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and kosher salt.

Spread hummus in a thin layer with 1/4” around the edge of each tortilla.  Place half of the spinach in a layer in the middle of each tortilla. Place the peppers in a line on one side, and the black beans in a line on the other side (see the photo). Sprinkle half of the cheese on each tortilla.

Tightly roll up the tortilla, keeping it as tight as possible and rolling smoothly at the end (don’t worry if a little bit falls out!). Slice off the ends and either eat or discard; then slice the remainder into 8 pieces. Serve immediately with salsa (optional) or refrigerate until serving. They’re perfect for lunches.

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 COWBOY CANDY

1 lb. jalapeño peppers

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pickling spice (optional)

Remove and discard the jalapeño stems before cutting the peppers into 1/4-inch thick coins. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pickling spices, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

Add the jalapeños and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the peppers look slightly shrunken and glossy, about 5 to 6 minutes. 

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the jalapeños to a pint-sized mason jar or heat-proof container. Bring the liquid back to a boil and cook until it is syrupy and has reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Pour the syrup over the jalapeños, pressing the peppers down so that they remain submerged. Cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating.

TFD: Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.

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