Marinated Sweet Peppers

We have a very unusual current favourite in our house these days. I say unusual because it is not something sweet or baked but quite the opposite. It is sour, tangy, spicy and pleasantly mushy: Alice Waters’ marinated peppers.

While the marinated peppers are pretty simple to make, what can get tedious is peeling the peppers if you haven’t roasted them well enough. By well, I mean roast the peppers until the outside is absolutely charred black. Else you might get stuck in spots when the skin is firmly stuck on the pepper and that can be annoying. After you’re done roasting it,you should put the peppers in an empty bowl and cover it.  This way the skin will further loosen from the pepper and it will slip off easily.

I love to top it on pizzas along with oven dried tomatoes, and I can imagine it lending itself beautifully to a sandwich with arugula and roast beef. A rather unconventional use of what Ms Waters intended to make as a part of a mezze platter, is eating alongside everyday India dal and rice in the guise of an aachar! That’s how we’ve managed to finish bottles of it. You should try pairing it with your local food – you might just be pleasantly surprised.

In other news, I’ve been hooked on to Spilled Milk Podcast every since they began. Molly and Matthew eat, cook and talk about food and I can’t stop giggling when I’m listening to it (I’m pretty sure people think I’m crazy when I’m walking on the streets). Go listen! And if that’s not enough, Clotide has a list of 5 more foodie podcasts; time to make some space in my mp3 player. Happy times!

I have also updated the Baking in Bombay post, and added more places on the map. Have a look! And more importantly, tell me if you know of any hole-in-the-wall places that I might have overlooked.

Oooooh and I almost forgot to tell you about the catering menu that finally took shape after I told you about my new “venture”! Hop over to the page and let me know what you think of it!

Marinated Peppers Recipe

(Loosely) adapted from: The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters (US | UK | India)

Ingredients:

4 large peppers, could be either yellow or red or a mix of the two
3 cloves of garlic, peeled, chopped coarsely
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. You could either roast the peppers in the oven or over a flame, whatever’s more convenient.
2. Brush the peppers with a tiny bit of olive oil so that they get done sooner.
3. In the oven: Roast for 20-30 minutes, turning the sides, until uniformally charred.
4. Over a flame: Hold the pepper, one at a time, over the flame, using tongs. Keep turning until blisters and charred thoroughly.
5. Place the peppers in a bowl and let it sit in the steam before you being to peel the peppers.
6. Peel the peppers, cut up into half and discard the seeds. Cut the peppers into smaller segments through its length.
7. In a bowl mix together all the remaining ingredients. Toss the peppers in this mixture. Check for seasoning.
8. Store in a sterilised glass jar.

Variation: Roast over coals for a wonderfully smoky flavour.

Storage: These should last you about two weeks, when refrigerated.