I often buy these in a jar from the supermarket or deli. But I’m always glad I took the extra time when I make my own. The flavour tends to be much fresher and more deeply smoky.
Smoky Red Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 or more red capsicum (bell peppers)
- extra virgin olive oil optional
Instructions
- Preheat an overhead grill (broiler) on its highest setting.
- Place whole capsicum (peppers) on a tray and cook until the skin is really black, about 5 minutes or so.
- Rotate so the next side gets exposed to the heat. Repeat until all sides are well blackened.
- Place hot peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with the tray or cling wrap. Allow to cool so you can touch them.
- Peel peppers, discarding the blackened skins and any seeds. Pack into super clean glass jars while still hot and cover with a little olive oil if you prefer to keep them for longer.
Variations
short on time? – chop peppers into flat pieces and grill skin side up all at once.
chilli peppers – larger chillies can be lovely instead or or as well as capsicum (bell peppers).
yellow or green peppers – can be cooked in the same manner but I find the flavour of red peppers to be the best.
Usage Suggestions
fiery harissa paste – puree into a superhot Moroccan sauce.
salads – tear or slice into strips and toss in a green salad.
baked frittata – lovely to give a spanish vibe to a baked frittata, some chopped chorizo wouldn’t go astray.
smoky soups – makes a lovely smooth soup.
veggie alternative to cured meats or sausages – makes a great veggie alternative to crispy bacon or chorizo.
Prepare Ahead?
Absolutely. Takes about 30 minutes. I like to make up a big batch to have on hand for quick meals during the week.
Storage Best Practices
Pack into glass jars and cover with olive oil. Will keep in the fridge for a few weeks, longer if using sterilised jars (hot from the dishwasher).
Can be frozen for up to 12 months.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
peppers (capsicum) – will keep for 2 weeks or so in a plastic bag in the fridge. For longer storage best to cook and store under oil as per the recipe.
Problem Solving Guide
difficult to peel – if the peppers aren’t cooked and charred enough, the peels can be difficult to remove. In that case I just forget about peeling them. Allowing them to ‘steam’ in a covered container as they cool really makes a difference to the ease of peeling.
hard peppers – another sign of undercooking. It’s important to leave them under the grill until really black everywhere.
over-charred peppers – it is possible to go too far. If the flesh under the skin also gets charred, you can either cut out the really burnt bits and discard. Or just start again.
not smoky enough – again, undercharring is to blame. A good quick fix-it is to add a teaspoon or two of Spanish smoked paprika to your dish to boost the ‘smoky’ flavours.
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Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Yum. This is one my current BBs before I knew the name. I cut them in half and flatten them under the grill as it takes less time and supervision.
I added these with some baby spinach to lovely lentils which I made last week.
I’m going to try keeping them in oil in the fridge as it would be great to keep them longer.
Yum Kate!
Hi Jules – I’m doing this course for the second time; not sure if there is new material here but I need a refresher. The concept of mise en place that I have learned from you has improved my kitchen experience immensely. I have a question about the roasted red peppers – you say they can be frozen – can they be canned? I have a pressure canner and was wondering if, this summer, when the peppers are at their local best I could roast and can them. I know the ones I buy in the store have balsamic vinegar on them (I think) and I have made them that way – adding the vinegar at the end before storing in the fridge. Do you think I could sprinkle them with the balsamic and can without additional liquid or would I have to bury them in liquid?