Fire Roasted Red Peppers

You’ll feel a little dangerous making this recipe—an open fire, a pair of tongs, and one juicy red bell pepper just waiting to be charred.  Have you ever bought these babies at the store?  They jazz up everything they encounter—salads, sandwiches, pasta sauces, pizzas, antipasto platters—and they’re so easy to make at home. 

Make a jar yourself and give it a personal touch; I opted for a pinch of chili flakes at the end, but garlic or herbs would be just as good.

Comment below and let me know how you’ll use these roasted red peppers!

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Food La La Recipe:  Fire Roasted Red Peppers

 

Ingredients:

• 1 organic red bell pepper, rinsed and dried
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Optional: herbs, garlic, chili flakes

 

Equipment:

• Brown paper bag
• Metal tongs

 

Steps:

1. Turn gas stove burner on medium high heat.  Grasp bell pepper with metal tongs and set directly on flame. 
2. Let pepper sit for about 1 minute, then rotate and repeat until the entire pepper is black.  (Don’t walk away from the pepper!)
3. Take hot pepper and place in a paper sandwich bag and scrunch top closed.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes (WHY? #1).
4. Remove pepper (it may still be hot so be careful!)  and rub the black charred skin off, revealing the soft roasted pepper underneath.  Do not rinse the pepper (WHY? #2).
5. Cut pepper in half then remove stem and seeds.  Cut pepper into thin strips.
6. Sprinkle peppers with desired herbs or sliced garlic (I added red pepper flakes), a pinch of salt, then drizzle with olive oil and store airtight in the refrigerator.

 

 

Psst!  A few recipe notes:

• WHY? #1:  The steam created inside the bag helps loosen the skin so it’s easier to remove.
• WHY? #2:  If you rinse the pepper you’ll remove the smoky charred flavor you just created.
• Note:  If you want to do many peppers at once, you can replicate this process using your oven’s broiler.
• Note:  Be sure to whisk that pepper infused olive oil into a dressing once those peppers are gone!
• Note:  Peppers will last about a week in refrigerator
• Note:  To freeze, lay the strips out on a parchment-lined baking sheet (small enough to fit in your freezer), and freeze.  Then, remove and store in a plastic bag.