Roasted peppers; with saffron and basil (var)

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 larges Red or yellow bell peppers with thick flesh
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Garlic cloves; thinly sliced (up to 2)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Directions

TIP: For best results, choose peppers that have flat, even surfaces.

STOVE TOP GAS BURNER: To roast, set them directly in the flame. Turn them every few minutes so that the entire surface is exposed to the flame and the skin is eventually charred all over. Set the finished peppers in a bowl, cover it with a plate, and allow it to stand for at least 10 minutes to steam.

GRILLING: Grill, turning as needed. Once roasted, they can be put into a covered dish to steam and then finished at your leisure.

BROILER OF AN ELECTRIC OVEN: Set them on the top rack, right under the heat, turn them frequently until they are completely charred, then put into a covered dish to steam and then finished at your leisure.

HOT OVEN: Another way to roast peppers in the oven is to cut them in half, brush them with light oil on both sides and set them, cut side down, on a cookie sheet, in a hot oven (400degF). After ten minutes or so the skins will be wrinkled and loose. Set the pepper halves in a covered bowl to steam then peel. Since they haven't been charred, they won't have that smoky flavor, but they will be softened by the cooking and the skins will be easy to remove.

PEELING: Carefully scrape away the charred peel with a knife. Save any of the syrupy juices that collect in the bottom of the bowl. Cut open the pepper, scrape out the seeds, cut the flesh into strips, and add them to the bowl with the juices. Toss with the olive oil, add the garlic, and season lightly with salt, pepper, and vinegar, to taste. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

MAKES 2 CUPS, STORE covered and refrigerated for one or two weeks.

USES: They can be cut into wide strips and used as a little hors d'oeuvre or salad, garnished with olives, herbs, a splash of vinegar, or thin slices of Fontina cheese. Cut into thin strips, they can fill a sandwich, garnish a pizza, or become part of a composed salad. Diced into squares, they can be tossed with pasta or cooked with rice or millet, as in Millet Pilaf (see recipe) with Saffron Peppers (see below).

VARIATION:

Roasted Peppers with Saffron and Basil Roast the peppers as described above and cut them into strips. Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add a pinch of saffron threads, and let stand until cooled. Pour over the peppers, add several torn fresh basil leaves, and toss together. The saffron flavor will continue to deepen as the peppers sit.

Deborah Madison, "The Savory Way", Posted by patHanneman Eat-lf 6 Sep 97 Posted to Digest eat-lf.v097.n224 by KitPATh <phannema@...> on Sep 5, 1997

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