Serves: 3
Peperonata is a classic Italian dish, where ingredients are slowly stewed and include peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic along with other veggies that are available for the season. I’ve added baked turkey to this sauce to make it a full meal on top of polenta. The secret is to cook slowly vegetables in oil, allowing them to break down and infuse the oil with all their wonder and flavours.
You can make this vegetarian by omitting the turkey. If you omit turkey, butter and cheese it becomes a great vegan meal. Honestly the peppers, onions and veggies stewing slowly makes this delicious on its own.
Ingredients
¼ cup Olive oil
3 bell peppers – julienned
1 large onion – julienned
3 roma tomatoes – diced
1 zucchini – diced
1 tbsp garlic
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp dried rosemary
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup asparagus – diced and par-boiled
1/2 pound turkey cut into large cubes
Garlic salt to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
Instant Polenta
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup grated parmesan
Directions
Preheat oven 425°F and cover large baking sheet with aluminum foil
Heat olive oil in large skillet on high and add peppers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini and garlic
Sauté for 5 minutes then lower to simmer and add salt, rosemary, thyme and pepper flakes.
Cover skillet and stir occasionally for about ½ an hour
Add asparagus and continue to simmer for up to another ½ hour depending on how softened you like your Peperonata. I like mine where the peppers are soft and falling apart.
While Peperonata is cooking put turkey, garlic salt and olive oil in a bowl and mix well
Spread out on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning turkey at half-way
Add turkey to Peperonata and cover for 10 minutes
Make polenta per instructions and just before ready to serve stir in butter and parmesan cheese
Scoop polenta into a large bowl and top off with turkey Peperonata
Tip: when making polenta wait for water to boil and then pour polenta into water slowly while constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. This will stop polenta from clumping if you add it in all at once.
Comments