Roasted Red Peppers Preserved in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Red peppers are one of my favorite vegetables of the season. Unfortunately, my harvest this year was next to none so I purchased 2 large boxes of Italian red peppers at my farmers market.  This allowed me to make pimientos asados and preserve 6 pints of roasted red peppers in extra virgin olive oil.

This is by far my favorite preserve that can be used in many ways.  As an appetizer, addition to stews and soups or draped over meats.  Roasted Red Peppers are flavorsome and full bodied and when mixed with a vinaigrette, sharp undertones are mixed with the soothing and creamy texture of extra virgin olive oil.  All I can say is scrumptious.

Roasted Red Peppers Preserved in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Recipe by Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Ingredients

• Red Peppers
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• Kosher or Celtic Sea Salt

Method:

1. Wash, Dry and lightly oil your peppers.
2. Roast your peppers.  You can do this over an open burner on a stove, a grill or broiled in the oven.  Since I was working in large batches, I broiled mine making sure to turn them once one side was charred.
3. When the peppers are blackened, put them in a paper bag and roll up the bag to seal in the steam for 20 – 40 minutes.
4. After the peppers have cooled, remove their skins, stems and seeds.  DO NOT run the peppers under water as they will lose their flavor.
5. Once each pepper is cleaned and you have removed as many seeds as you can, put them in a bowl.
6. Repeat this process with all of the peppers before proceeding.
7. Once the peppers are clean and in the bowl fill a second bowl with some raw apple cider vinegar.
8. Dip each pepper individually into the vinegar  and place it into a separate bowl.  Repeat this process for all of the peppers.
9.  Once all of the peppers have been dipped in the vinegar, add salt to them and with your hands toss them like a salad.
10. Your original bowl should have juice that has accumulated from the peppers.  Add some salt to that juice
11. Gather clean canning jars and add enough raw apple cider vinegar to cover the bottom.
12. Pack with the peppers leaving 1/2 inch space at the top.
13. Using a butter knife, run it down the sides of the jar to release any air bubbles.  You will notice the level of the liquid will drop.
14. Add some of the salted pepper juice from the original bowl and again use your knife to run it down the sides of the jar to remove any more air bubbles.
15. Once the air is out to the best of your ability and olive oil to cover everything leaving 1/4″ headspace.
16. Screw the lids on the jars.  That’s it.  The recipe states that it does not need a hot water bath, however, I did process mine for 10 minutes just in case.
17. Once you open a jar, keep it in the fridge.  It will last a year, although the peppers will soften over time.

A brilliant recipe.  Buen Provecho!