Roasted peppers salad
LEVEL: Beginner
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 62 large red peppers, halved, deseeded and quartered
2 large green peppers, halved, deseeded and quartered
75-100ml olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 1 large tomato, halved
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
handful of black olives, sliced
small handful of small mint leaves
extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
salt and black pepper
METHOD
If you ask anyone who comes from Libya, Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria, they’ll each give you a different way of making this salad. And, in fact, when I was developing the recipe it went through various guises until I had it just the way I wanted.
I love the way crunchy, refreshing raw peppers can be transformed by grilling them until they’re just charred and golden. The skins are then whipped off and the soft flesh combined with black olives, the delicate flavour of fresh mint and the scattered sliced chillies that give it that essential kick of heat.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
Spread the pepper halves over a large baking sheet and drizzle with a little oil Season well.
Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes until the skins have started to blister and char. After about 25 minutes, add the tomato halves, season, and continue to roast until the tomato is soft.
Put the peppers and tomato into a bowl, allow to cool a little, then remove and discard the skins. Chop the pepper and tomato flesh, put them in a bowl and stir in the oil.
Spoon into a serving bowl, top with the chillies, olives and mint leaves, and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the top.
