Summer is right around the corner! Barbecue Season is in bloom! Your food needs to get with the times! It’s time to Bring the Heat with peppery kick.
Our friends know that we’re all about heat in our food, and we’re not talking about the temperature. We’re love peppers in all its varieties from the bell to the habanero (Carlo takes it to GHOST levels). We love them stuffed, sauced, brined and more. Whether it’s to add a little color and flavor or to really pack a punch, peppers are where it’s at for us. When Mezzetta presented us with an opportunity to try their products to share with you, we were game!
Mezzetta is a proud California, family-owned company, operating since 1935. They are the leader in delivering quality glass-packed peppers, olives, and specialty foods in the United States. They work with local farmers around the globe to source their produce and create delicious brined vegetable from deli-style to whole.
Yes, we’ve tasted a lot of peppers, glass-packed included. We recently tried Mezzetta‘s Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Deli-Sliced Hot Jalapeño Peppers. Both were a hit with us. Sometimes you get them too salty/too briney. Both varieties actually had a nice balance. There was enough saltiness to bring out a lot of the peppers flavor. The Roasted Red Bell Peppers are grown in Napa Valley, California and packed in fresh water and sea salt. enhancing the peppers natural sweetness. The Deli-Sliced Hot Jalapeño Peppers are sun-ripened in California. They have a nice pickle-like flavor with a strong heat kick at the finish. For glass-packed, we really were pleased with them.
In fact, Carmella was so pleased that she couldn’t wait to try out a recipe using BOTH peppers. Now, if you follow our Instagram, you know she’s got a thing for toasts, especially Avocado Toast. Well, this time, she forewent the avocado wanted to up her hummus game. The end result was a delicious Spicy Red Pepper Chickpea Spread, which can also be used as a salad dressing; not too thick and not too thin. With the Mezzetta‘s Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Deli-Sliced Hot Jalapeño Peppers, there’s a lot of flavor hitting just about every taste bud: salty, sweet, sour, bitter and even a bit of umami! Simple ingredients thrown into a blender or food processors makes this spread all ready in under 5 minutes! You can’t beat that!
- 1 15-oz can of chickpeas
- 4 garlic cloves
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/8-1/4 C. olive oil
- 1/4 C. Mezzetta Roasted Red Bell Peppers (approx. 2 thick strips)
- 5 slices Mezzetta Deli-Slices Jalapeño Peppers
- 1/2 T. red wine or balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 T. agave nectar
- 1/4 t. dried oregano
- 1/4 t. sea salt
- 1/4 t. freshly cracked black pepper
- Drain the chickpeas
- Smash the garlic cloves
- Add all the ingredients to your blender or food processor
- Pulse a few times, add additional oil if needed, then blend until smooth
- Don't throw out the chickpea water! Use it to make meringues later!
- If using a high-speed blender, be careful that it doesn't liquify. You want your spread to be not too thick and not too thin. If you do run it too long, you can try to place it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to thicken it up a bit.
- Using it later salad dressing? Blend the spread for a bit to loosen it up before mixing into your salad bowl.
- Making toast? Spread 1-2 tablespoons and top with your favorite veggies. We like artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, kale, asparagus, nutritional yeast or avocado slices. Play around with any combination you like!
How do you bring the heat during the summer? Share how you crank it up with your favorite foods and post in the comments.
Don’t forget about that giveaway! GOOD LUCK!