Roast Peppers Preserved Under Oil
This is scarcely a recipe, but I will write out what I did. The most important part is to have everything clean.
I used 10 ounces/284 grams of peppers; you can use more or less. The jar held 3.5 cups/875ml. You can divide peppers into smaller jars, if you prefer.
If using hot peppers, wash your hands with hot water before touching eyes, nose, or contact lenses.
10 ounces/280grams mixed peppers
fine sea salt or canning salt
garlic, peeled and lightly crushed, optional
olive oil, enough to generously cover the peppers: use decent oil that isn’t harsh, but this isn’t the place for your finest Ligurian, either.
one or more jars with either lids and bands or rubber gaskets
Sterilize jar(s) by washing in hot soapy water and placing in warm oven or dishwasher. Set aside while you prepare peppers.
I use the stove burner for this, but if you prefer the broiler element, use it. Char the pepper skins. As the peppers are done, lay them on a wide platter or bowl.
Have the jar(s), garlic, if using, salt, and olive oil ready.
Drop garlic into jar, if using. Add about half teaspoon salt. Then, with clean hands, remove charred bits and the seeds from pepper. I find I can’t get all the seeds, and do the best I can. Tear peppers into strips and drop into the clean jar as you go. As you finish with each pepper, add about a half teaspoon salt. Keep going until all the peppers are done. Pour in olive oil to cover. Gently tap jar on counter to break up air bubbles. If bubbles persist, run a long spoon handle or chopstick under hot water, dry it, and use that to break them up.
Cap fingertip tight, label peppers with date and contents, and allow to cool. Once cool, refrigerate.
To use peppers, remove jar from fridge about 15 minutes before you want to eat them. Remove desired amount with an immaculately clean fork. The peppers will keep longest if you use clean implements when retrieving them and ensure peppers are always covered with oil. Once the peppers are used up, the oil may be re-used: either cook with it, use it for salad dressing, or to cover another preserve.
These roasted peppers are delicious in salads, with tomatoes, with rice, in pasta, atop pizza, and especially in sandwiches with soft cheeses like mozzarella and Fontina.
Notes:
Use either fine sea salt or canning salt. Don’t use salt with preservatives, as this will affect keeping qualities of the preserve.
By fingertip tight, I mean don’t screw the lid on so tightly that you need assistance getting it off or so lightly your toddler can get into the jar without help. Middle-of-the-road–something people are forgetting about. It’s useful here….and elsewhere.
You can use any kind of peppers here, mixing them or sticking to one type. I used to mixture. I had ten ounces, but that was not deliberate; preserve as many or little as you wish.