All Things Andrea

All Things Andrea

Sunday, September 5, 2010

How to Roast a Pepper



I think I finally found the secret to roasting peppers!  There are a number of ways to do it, but the easiest way I've found is to use the oven.  Simply arrange them on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning once or twice to prevent them from sticking.  They blacken as much as when grilled, but the skin will puff up like a balloon, making it easy to pull off.  Then, put them in a container and cover with a lid or plastic wrap, or you can even put them in a brown paper bag, folding the top down to close.  This will allow the steam to finish loosening the skin.  Allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes.  Once they have cooled, pull off the skins.  Don't rinse them - you'll end up washing their delicious juice down the drain.  Also, put the skins in the trash, not the garbage disposal to prevent clogging your plumbing.

I usually freeze chopped, roasted red peppers in 1/4 cup portions in small bags so it's ready to use in my favorite "Roasted Red Pepper Hummus"recipe.  And, 1/4 cup is a nice portion to throw into various other recipes.




Here's the recipe:

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Source:  Kristy Y.'s mother- in-law

1/3 c. mayonnaise (you can substitute olive oil if you wish)
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. roasted red peppers, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. cumin
1 t. sea salt

Blend above ingredients in food processor until smooth.

9/10/10
Update:  I just came home from a cooking demonstration where I learned two more tricks!  1)  Coat the peppers with oil; this will allow them to get hotter.  2) Put the peppers in the refrigerator to cool - that will make them even easier to peel.  I haven't tried it yet, but will the next time I roast a batch of peppers!

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