How to roast peppers

Even though the smallest grocery stores in Chelsea stock preserved roasted peppers, nothing compares to the joy of roasting peppers at home. It's totally worth the fresh and asbolutely succulent taste that results.

There are two methods to roast peppers (courtesy of Chef Myra Kornfield):

Place pepper directly on the grate over a gas burner. Turn the heat to high and leave to cook until each side is blistered and charred. Use tongs to turn the pepper and cook each side until the whole surface is blackened. This should only take a few minutes. Place it in a plastic bag or paper bag or under an inverted bowl to steam the skin loose. When the pepper is is cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin, using a paring knife if necessary. Don't run the pepper under water to remove the skin as that washes awy a lot of flavour. You can keep a small bowl nearby to dip your fingers in which makes slipping off the skin much easier.

As alternate methos, halve the pepers and remove the stems, seeds, and white membranes. Place cut-side down on anoiled or parchment covered baking sheet. Place in a very hot over or under a broiler. Roast or broil until evenly charred. Remove from the oven or broiler. Roast or broil untiulevenly charrred. Remove from the over or broiler and cover immediately.

Roasted peppers can be used in literally anything including salads, pizzas, omelettes and sandwiches. They can also be blended and made into a delicious soup. I like to add goat cheese , greens, champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt and peper to my roasted peppers and enjoy as a French Provencal salad.