Roasted Peppers
Ingredientes
It is possibly the simplest recipe there is, and at the same time one of the tastiest. Pair the roasted peppers with some roasted tomatoes, a sweet onion, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of sherry vinegar, and you get one of the most widely used recipes in Spanish home cooking and restaurants alike.
The pepper is one of the most versatile vegetables around, since it can be eaten raw, fried, preserved, cooked or roasted, and each way of cooking it brings out different flavours and aromas.
Its high fibre and vitamin C content make it one of the most interesting vegetables to have in your shopping basket, and the longer it is left to ripen, turning from green to red, the more lycopene it contains, helping fight the effects of free radicals and the oxidative stress they cause in human cells.
Its vitamin C content is even double that found in fruits like orange, grapefruit or strawberry, especially in ripe, red peppers.
This vegetable is also the source of one of the most valuable spices in world cuisine: paprika, made from dried, ground red pepper. What more could you ask of a vegetable?
Instructions
Line the oven tray you are going to use with foil and preheat the oven to 200C.
Place the clean, dry peppers on the tray and drizzle a little oil over each one. It is even better if you brush them all evenly with a pastry brush.
Roast for 40-50 minutes depending on how thick the peppers are, turning each one halfway through cooking so the texture is even all over.
Once properly roasted, peel off the skins and they are ready for salads, side dishes and garnishes. Very important: keep the liquid released during roasting, it has an amazing flavour and is great for other dishes.
