I talked about my life long passion for cookbooks in one of my last posts. I can honestly sit for hours and read them. I get excited about learning new things and love seeing a traditional recipe tweaked into a modern version.
Yes, I am a culinary geek to the core. My library of cookbooks is pretty vast. Although I love finding new recipes on the internet, nothing is better than sitting with a book, feeling the page between your fingers, finding new inspiration at the turn of each page.
The Great Pepper Cookbook is no exception. Melissa’s Produce doesn’t hold anything back when they create a new cookbook. I have personally been to their test kitchen and tasted the recipes made by their chefs. They are talented and inventive. The recipes in this book speak to that.
Of course when I received the books I immediately started going through them. In each book, the first section talks all about the scoville scale (how hot a pepper is), describes each pepper type in detail and how to prepare fresh and dried.
I love spicy food! I actually carry around packets of tabasco in my purse, just in case there is an emergency. True story. I like some spice to my food, not overpowering, but a wake me up, warm me up spice.
In the Great Pepper Cookbook I found a multitude of recipes I wanted to make. But there was one that HAD to be made first. It combines my two food lusts together, spicy and chocolate. Chile Chocolate Truffles, oh em gee, come to me. I’ve had a love for spicy chocolate since I had it the first time at the San Diego Food & Wine Festival. I couldn’t wait to taste that duo together again.
Making the truffles was actually very easy. I changed the heavy cream to coconut milk in my version due to my intolerance. You simply heat the cream/coconut milk together with spicy peppers, combine with the chocolate, sesame seeds and raisins. Then cool the concoction in the fridge for two hours. Scoop the chocolate with a melon baller, roll into balls and toss in walnuts. Yup, pretty much the best truffle I have ever had. No joke. I will have these babies in the fridge from her on. Each truffle is only 80 calories. Serious bonus!
Now onto the Hatch Chile Cookbook. I actually have had this book for over a year. I went to the recipe tasting event at Melissa’s test kitchen when they launched the book. I was able to taste the Honey Mustard Pretzel Crunch, Hatch Chile Corn Bread, Hatch Chile Deviled Eggs, Hatch Chile cookies, and even a lemonade infused with hatch chili ice cubes. Every single item was incredible.
I’ve made a lot of the recipes from the Hatch Chile book and even developed this Hatch Chile Corn dog because I love the flavor so much. I wanted to showcase something new and different for you. I love stuffing portabellos, I’ve made them into BBQ Chicken Pizzas, and every now and then I crave one stuffed with creamed spinach. I never thought to make them into a frittata. Kudos on that idea Melissa’s!
You have to make the Frittata-Stuffed Portobello Stuffed Mushroom Caps. Such a fun, spicy way to serve eggs. It would be amazing as a brunch item during the holidays. The colors are even perfect with the addition of tomato, hatch chilies and basil.
Lucky for you it’s Hatch Chilie season and during this time of year you can attend a live roasting! Click here to find a location roasting chilies near you. Then go buy the book, it is a chile lovers must have.
Melissa’s produce has always been extremely generous with me. Not only did they supply all the produce for this post, they have allowed me to share both recipes I mentioned. AND, they offered up FOUR of The Great Pepper Cookbooks to giveaway! Entering is super easy! Just follow the instruction in the Rafflecopter link here ——-> a Rafflecopter giveaway
For more awesome sneak peeks at these cookbooks check out what my fellow IEFB bloggers did: My Imperfect Kitchen, The Devil Wears Parsely & It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake.
- Serves: 36 (1 truffle)
- Serving size: 1 truffle
- Calories: 80
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 5g
- 10 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (can use vegan)
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons seedless raisins, minced
- 5 ounces heavy whipping cream
- ¼ ounce (about a 1 x 2-inch piece) dried ancho chile pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fresh lime zest
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely crushed
- In a metal bowl, combine chocolate chips, sesame seeds, and raisins. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat; stir in ancho chile, chipotle chile powder, cinnamon, and zest. Bring just to a simmer; immediately remove from heat. Remove and discard ancho, pour cream mixture over chocolate chip mixture, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is completely blended. Let cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a plate, spread the walnuts in an even layer. Using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon (or melon baller) scoop out cooled chocolate mixture, form into a 1-inch ball, roll in crushed walnuts, and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture to form 36 truffles. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Serve.
- Oil for cooking spray
- 12 large eggs
- Melissa's My Grinder Organic Italian Seasoning
- Melissa's My Grinder Rainbow Peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large heirloom tomato, top and bottom removed, thickly sliced into 4 rounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 10 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
- 2 Hatch Chilies, roasted peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 4 large Portobello mushrooms stems and gills removed (see note below)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and a few grindings of the Italian seasoning and rainbow peppercorns. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the tomatoes, turning once, just until the tomatoes release their moisture, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the basil and chilies and continue cooking just until the basil begins to wilt, about 1 minute.
- To stuff the Portobellos, fit 1 tomato slice into each mushroom cap and one-fourth of the basil and chilies. Pour in egg mixture to nearly fill the mushroom. Top each Portobello with a few cubes of cream cheese.
- Bake the stuffed mushrooms in the prepared baking dish for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set.
