Roasted Red Peppers
Everyone who grows red peppers roasts red peppers, because it is, to use a legal term, their highest and best use. Once they’re roasted, you can include them in a variety of recipes found here and in other books, or you can sauté them with onion and tomato, include them in stews, or put them on sandwiches. Arguably, they are at their best when served at room temperature, drizzled with oil and perhaps with some capers and anchovies. (They also keep very, very well, up to a few days, refrigerated.) You can roast these, grill them, or broil them; all methods work about equally well. Obviously, if you grill over wood, you’re going to get some added (and welcome) flavors.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rub the peppers all over with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. To roast or broil: Preheat the oven to 450°F or turn on the broiler and place the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Put the peppers in a foil-lined roasting pan. Roast or broil, turning the peppers as each side browns, until the peppers have darkened and collapsed, 15 or 20 minutes in the broiler, up to an hour in the oven. To grill: Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill; the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source.When the fire is hot, put the peppers directly over the heat. Grill, turning as each side blackens, until they collapse, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Wrap the cooked peppers in foil (if you roasted the peppers, you can use the same foil that lined the pan) and cool until you can handle them, then remove the skin, seeds, and stems. Don’t worry if the peppers fall apart.
Step 3
The peppers can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to a few days; bring back to room temperature before serving. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle with a bit of salt, drizzle with olive oil, and, if you like, add a few drops of vinegar.
