roasted red peppers

Last weekend I was at my parents house in Sonoma County and the weather was wonderfully warm. After consuming a large lunch, I decided to enjoy a light, Spanish-style dinner. The Spanish often eat a dinner of cold cuts, olives, and cheese. Bread or breadsticks normally accompany these simple meals. I took this concept and translated it into a nacho variation. I baked small thin breadsticks topped with Manchego cheese until crisp and melty. Next I topped them with a homemade romesco sauce. Romesco is a typical Spanish sauce made with roasted red peppers and almonds. When served with garlic stuffed olives and fresh jamon, these nachos were salty and delicious! To learn how I made them, read more

Although jarred roasted red peppers are readily available in grocery stores, I find the flavor of fresh roasted peppers superior to their supermarket counterparts. During the Summer, take advantage of the grill and char them over the fire. The grill will impart a subtle smokiness that is hard to mimic in mass produced variations. When combined with grilled eggplants, the peppers make a delicious and filling salad.

Packed with plenty of fresh herbs, this vegetarian dish is a wonderful way to use up the bounty of a Summer harvest. To look at the recipe, read more

Now that Summer is just around the corner, I've started eating lots more salads. This salad with white beans, roasted red peppers, and arugula is at the top of my to-make list. It looks fresh and delicious. — We Heart Food

I absolutely adore using roasted red peppers to add a gourmet touch to sandwiches, salads, and all sorts of entrees. I already gave you a primer on how to roast red peppers, but lately I've been using this easy tip for peeling them that I wanted to share.

You can roast peppers several different ways: I prefer to coat mine lightly with olive oil and blacken them in the broiler for five to 10 minutes. No matter what your method, this trick gets the blackened skins off easily. To find out how, read more

OK so hopefully by now you know how this works, but just in case, here goes. You are at home and hungry for food. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/ spouse/child/friend, but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have ground turkey, feta cheese, and a jar of roasted red peppers. Using these products, along with whatever you currently have on hand in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make?

To see what I would make, read more

A great Sunday dinner doesn't have to take all day to make, and a vegetarian meal doesn't have to be for herbivores alone. Keeping those two things in mind, I'm happy to share with you a delicious vegetarian meal that will hit the spot on any day of the week. This recipe for eggplant steak served with chickpeas and roasted red peppers is a great way to start off the week. To get the recipe, read more

Roasted red bell peppers are a great addition to salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and antipasto platters. I love to make my own at home, jar them and have them on hand for whenever one strikes my fancy. Large red bell peppers are sweet, not spicy and can be found in grocery stores year-round — although their peak season (when they are the cheapest) is from May until August. Here how to roast them:

1. Start by washing the peppers and removing the stickers. Next you can either char them on high heat on a gas range stove by placing them directly onto the grates, or roast them in the oven (which is what I like to do). Use tongs to turn the pepper to blacken on all sides. Cook on the grill the same way.
2. If roasting in the oven, preheat to 450°F. Arrange the peppers on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes until done (about 30 minutes).
3. Whatever technique you use to blacken the peppers, once they are done, place in a covered bowl or brown paper bag. As the steam from the peppers condenses, the skin becomes easier to peel off.
4. Once the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. You can do this with your fingers or a sharp paring knife. Pull or cut off the top of the pepper and squeeze gently to remove the seeds.

Never rinse or wash the peppers, as the water will diminish the smoky flavor. When the skins and seeds have been removed, cover the peppers in oil, adding garlic slices or herbs if desired, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.