Roasting Bell Peppers at Home

Don't bother with buying roasted peppers in a jar. They are overpriced and probably peeled by machine. If they are peeled by human hands, those humans typically do a lousy job!

Red bell peppers were on sale today at my grocery store for 79 cents each. They were large, with thick-walled flesh, perfect for roasting. It's so easy:

Wash peppers and remove label if there is one. Place them directly on the rack in the upper third of a preheated 475 degree oven. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until they are blistery and blackened in places. With tongs, remove them and immediately place them in a large ziploc bag. Seal the bag and let them "sweat" until they are cool enough to handle.

Once they've cooled, the skins will slip right off, as will the stem and seeds. Pull away any membrane on the inside just as you would with a fresh pepper. Resist the urge to rinse them! It's unnecessary.

These are wonderful in salads, soups, stews, as garnishes, in sauces, and of course, on their own, perhaps with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and freshly ground salt and pepper.