This is really a vegetarian take on that classic combination of charred, peeled peppers and anchovies. This pepper and feta combo, with a rocket (or other green) salad, some griddled aubergines dressed with pomegranate and mint (or just a bowl of shop-bought hummus) and a pile of warmed pitta breads, would make the perfect Saturday lunch, vegetarians or no.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This is really a vegetarian take on that classic combination of charred, peeled peppers and anchovies. This pepper and feta combo, with a rocket (or other green) salad, some griddled aubergines dressed with pomegranate and mint (or just a bowl of shop-bought hummus) and a pile of warmed pitta breads, would make the perfect Saturday lunch, vegetarians or no.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
8 red bell peppers (or yellow or a mixture of both)
8 ounces feta cheese
2 squeezes lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup skinned almonds (or flaked almonds)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped fresh parsley
Method
Peeling peppers is a time-consuming and fiddly job, but it isn't difficult — and this is a distinction that's important to remember. Like most tasks of this order, culinary or otherwise, the space it takes up in your head is greater than the actual demands of the activity, but if the idea of charring and then peeling eight peppers really appals, then don't do it. The world is not going to fall apart if you buy a jar of ready-peeled and oil-softened roasted red peppers, nor do you lose the right to occupy your own kitchen if you ignore my suggestion altogether. Make a tomato salad; buy some tabbouleh from the deli.
But meanwhile at stately Wayne mansion, preheat the grill as hot as you can get it, and then sit the peppers on a rack below. When the skin turns black and blistery, turn them; you want to char them on every side. You can do this also, if you've got a gas cooker, just by holding them with a long fork over the hob, but it can get tiresome to say the least.
When the peppers are black and charred, remove them (trying not to burn yourself) to a large bowl and cover immediately with clingfilm. Leave for 10-20 minutes.
Then uncover and, one by one, peel and de-seed the peppers. Don't get worried if the odd bit of skin (or indeed pip) remains. Cut or tear into wide chunks/strips (I don't like this too dinky) and arrange on a large plate. Crumble over the feta, then squeeze over lemon juice and drizzle with oil. Scatter over the almonds and sprinkle on the parsley — and that, frankly, is it.
Leftovers can be stuffed into pitta breads but the sweet, salty mix is also lovely as a sauce for pasta (better without the almonds, though I'd bet they'd all be picked off anyway by the time you got to leftover stage). Cook some penne, reserve a coffee-cupful of the cooking water on draining, then toss the pasta back into the hot pan with half the reserved water and a small bowlful of peppers and feta. Toss around so that everything begins to cohere (but not actually cook) and turn into a bowl. Eat.
Peeling peppers is a time-consuming and fiddly job, but it isn't difficult — and this is a distinction that's important to remember. Like most tasks of this order, culinary or otherwise, the space it takes up in your head is greater than the actual demands of the activity, but if the idea of charring and then peeling eight peppers really appals, then don't do it. The world is not going to fall apart if you buy a jar of ready-peeled and oil-softened roasted red bell peppers, nor do you lose the right to occupy your own kitchen if you ignore my suggestion altogether. Make a tomato salad; buy some tabbouleh from the deli.
But meanwhile at stately Wayne mansion, preheat the grill as hot as you can get it, and then sit the peppers on a rack below. When the skin turns black and blistery, turn them; you want to char them on every side. You can do this also, if you've got a gas cooker, just by holding them with a long fork over the hob, but it can get tiresome to say the least.
When the peppers are black and charred, remove them (trying not to burn yourself) to a large bowl and cover immediately with clingfilm. Leave for 10-20 minutes.
Then uncover and, one by one, peel and de-seed the peppers. Don't get worried if the odd bit of skin (or indeed pip) remains. Cut or tear into wide chunks/strips (I don't like this too dinky) and arrange on a large plate. Crumble over the feta, then squeeze over lemon juice and drizzle with oil. Scatter over the almonds and sprinkle on the parsley — and that, frankly, is it.
Leftovers can be stuffed into pitta breads but the sweet, salty mix is also lovely as a sauce for pasta (better without the almonds, though I'd bet they'd all be picked off anyway by the time you got to leftover stage). Cook some penne, reserve a coffee-cupful of the cooking water on draining, then toss the pasta back into the hot pan with half the reserved water and a small bowlful of peppers and feta. Toss around so that everything begins to cohere (but not actually cook) and turn into a bowl. Eat.
Additional Information
For vegetarians check that the feta is made without animal rennet.
For vegetarians check that the feta is made without animal rennet.
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What 2 Others have said
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Posted by Olja M. on 7th April 2015
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Posted by Madsie on 30th June 2013
Show more commentsPreparing from this recipe for many years, is fantastic!
Absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend this meal!