Sitting on the patio with a friend, it occurs to us that Boulder’s Ska Street Brewstillery (1600 38th Street, Boulder) may be the quintessential Colorado foodie destination. This single location combines micro versions of Ska Brewing and Peach Street Distillery, both honored for their craft beverages, and a welcoming eatery with a menu full of crowd-pleasers.
We started with a plate of beer-battered cauliflower dipped in blue cheese dressing and barbecue sauce. I thoroughly enjoyed the Ska Street Dagwood sandwich layered with three juicy meats from the restaurant’s smoker: duck, brisket, and pastrami. Grilled kale, cheddar cheese, and brown ale mustard pulled the construction together. My dessert was a side of dense, sweet plantain quick bread.
What to do with too many chilies
Whether you call them “peppers” or their more-proper appellation “chilies,” these green, red, and yellow pods of pleasure are available right now in myriad varieties and levels of sweet and heat from local gardens, farmers, and markets.
While there are many ways to enjoy fresh peppers, from sweet bells to hot Anaheims, most varieties benefit from being roasted or smoked first. Whether you roast them yourself or pick them up roasted by the bushel, roasting—which loosens the tough outer skin for removal—makes chilies ready to be used or frozen for future meals.
Place skinned, seeded, roasted pods on a flat sheet or plate to freeze. Remove and store flat in a bag so small quantities can be removed to use in chili-based stews and sauces.
Here’s a recipe using locally-grown ingredients from chef Jodie Lindsay Popma, courtesy of the Boulder County Farmers Market.
Roasted Sweet Pepper and
Tomato Salad
3 large sweet peppers (bell or other)
5 large ripe tomatoes
½ teaspoon Picaflor red chile flakes
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Place peppers on a baking sheet and roast. Turn every few minutes for 10 to 15 minutes until skins are blackened. Add tomatoes to the baking sheet and roast for another 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and place peppers in a bag. Set tomatoes aside to cool. Remove skins and seeds from peppers. Chop peppers and tomatoes into a bowl and add some salt, chile flakes, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and zest. Mix, taste, and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle parsley on top and drizzle with olive oil. Serve at room temperature.
Culinary calendar
International Box Wine Day is September 9. Celebrate with Kingman wines, the only Colorado winery producing box wines, with options including Viognier, Chardonnay, Reve Rouge (rosé blend), Marv’lous (Red blend), and Cabernet Franc . . . Boulder’s BookCliff Vineyards is a big winner in the 2021 Governor’s Cup. More than 250 wines from 41 Colorado wineries were sampled by a panel of 16 judges including sommeliers, winemakers, and wine writers. Bookcliff Vineyards placed its 2018 Graciano and 2018 Reserve Syrah in the Colorado Governor’s Cup, the competition’s top prize. Bookcliff’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon earned a gold medal, and several BookCliff wines won silver and bronze medals. These and the state’s top wines can be sampled November 5 at Colorado Uncorked at the History Colorado Center in Denver. Tickets: coloradowine.com/governors-cup . . . The inaugural Boulder Valley Wine Festival September 11 in Louisville showcases Colorado-made beverage makers including Colorado Sake Company, Decadent Saint, Dragon Meadery, Mountain Spirit Winery and St Vrain Cidery. Info:
bouldervalleywinefestival.com
Send information about local food events, classes, festivals, and tastings at least two weeks in advance to:
nibbles@boulderweekly.com
