This post is my variation on piperade, a traditional Basque dish. I make it with different colored peppers and use a Serrano pepper for the heat instead of the customary Piment d'Espelette. It's impressive looking enough for company but it is really just a humble affair - just some sliced and sauted vegetables. Of course everything is better with an egg on top and hopefully the video above will take away any fear about how to poach one. I also use piperade as a sauce for pizza, pasta, and Italian sausage by using 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes instead of the Serrano and adding in 1/4 teaspoon each of oregano, basil, rosemary, and fennel seeds.
Ingredients for Four Servings:
4 to 8 eggs: 1 or 2 per serving
1 onion
2 bell peppers: I used 1/2 each of green, red, yellow, and orange
1 Serrano pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
3 large ripe tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Core and dice the tomatoes. Set the tomatoes aside. Peel and slice the onion. Core, remove seeds and membranes, and slice the bell peppers. Discard the membrane and seeds from the Serrano peppers and dice. Place the oil in a large pan or skillet and add all the bell peppers, Serrano pepper, and the onion. Over medium low heat, saute for about 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetable mixture are tender but not brown. Peel the garlic clove, put it through a press or mince it finely. Add it to the pan and continue to saute for another 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes to the sauted vegetable mixture. Over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, cook for about 10 minutes. The piperade is down when the tomatoes break down, most of the liquid has evaporated, and the mixture is thick. Transfer to serving dishes and top with poached eggs.
