"That's my favorite smell, and I want it in a candle!"
Of all of the smells to come out of our kitchens at The Chopping Block, you might be surprised to learn my favorite is actually a red pepper roasting on the range. There's just nothing like the smell of a red pepper burning on an open flame. That's right, I said burning. When you are roasting a red pepper, you want it to look charred to a crisp!
When we teach students how to roast peppers, we always ask who is good at burning things? Then we assign those people the task of roasting peppers! You literally put the pepper over the flame on your range, and let it sit on each side until it is black and charred all over.
In order to complete the cooking process and to maximize the full flavor of the roasted red pepper, put it in a bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. This will allow the pepper to steam in the bowl and continue to cook. After about 30 minutes, check to see if the pepper has completely softened, also check if it's cooled off enough to chop up to use for cooking.
Roasted red peppers are an integral part of cooking in my kitchen. I use them for anything: breakfast, lunch, appetizers/snacks, and dinner. They are amazing in frittatas, falafel, pasta, grilled vegetable salads, vinagrettes, quesdillas, sauces, risotto, the possibilities are endless!
Some of my most interesting applications of the roasted red pepper include a Pillsbury Crescent roll appetizer with black beans, onions, garlic, roasted red & yellow peppers inside that were sautéed in Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce, and a roasted red pepper and white wine reduction sauce for pork chops.
Try burning, I mean roasting, a pepper on your range today, soak up the amazing smell in your kitchen, and enjoy it in a vast array of dishes! For more guidance on roasting peppers, watch our Owner/Chef Shelley Young's video. It's just one of our many cooking technique videos in our online video library.
