I use red peppers a lot, but they are grown so large these days that more often than not, I find myself with a quarter or a half that needs to be used up. The solution is to roast them and store them in olive oil. In fact, I’ve become so fond of my roasted peppers that I’ll sometimes make up a batch on the weekend to see me through the days ahead. If you have gas burners, use this top-of-the-stove method rather than doing them in the oven (if you don’t have gas burners, see page 143 for roasting). Because they become thoroughly charred all over, they develop a wonderful smoky flavor.
Ingredients
Preparation
Put a grill rack, if you have one, over the gas burner of your stove. Cut the pepper lengthwise into four or six pieces, depending on size, and scrape out the pith and seeds. Rub both sides with a little olive oil. Trim the ends, where the pepper curls over, so that each piece will lie flat. Turn on the burner to medium high, and lay the pieces, skin side down, flat on the grill. If you haven’t got a grill, you can usually balance your pieces on the spokes of the burner or hold them on prongs of a large serving fork, right in or over the flame. Let cook for about 4 minutes, until charred on the bottom, then turn the pieces with your tongs, and grill the other side. Every now and then, flatten the pieces with a spatula and try to expose all spots to the heat. Eight to 10 minutes of grilling should suffice. Remove the peppers, and quickly pop them into a paper bag. Twist the top firmly, to keep the steam in, and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Now scrape all the charred skin off, and cut the peppers into strips. Put them in a small jar and cover them with olive oil. Screw on the top, and keep refrigerated.
