There’s a green grocer/butcher/deli shop at my local shopping mall and I guarantee you that if you walk past at about 11:30am, any day, you can smell capsicum (bell pepper), garlic and other vegetables roasting. Talk about drool! The smell gets me every time. If the red capsicums are cheap enough to buy (that is if they aren’t the price of a new TV), I’ll pick some up and take them home to roast.
Its become a bit of a habit for me and its not unusual for me to have a batch of this roast capsicum sauce in my fridge. I use it in everything. Unlike roast capsicum pieces, this sauce is a puree that can be used on sandwiches, in pasta dishes, in vegetarian dishes and the way I use it mostly, as a dip with tortilla chips. When added to dishes, it adds a real sweetness and smokiness to the dish. Its my new love. Its so easy to do. Just de-seed (although you don’t really need to do that), put on a baking tray with garlic (just put the whole garlic bulb on the tray), sprinkle with olive oil and salt and roast until the skins on the capsicum go black.
Remove from the oven and pop into a plastic bag for about 20 minutes. The skins will be come really loose so you can peel them. Once peeled, add to a bowl. Add the garlic. The garlic is soft and juicy and can be squeezed like a tube. Using a stick blender or food processor, puree until the desired consistency and store in the fridge. This is just a fabulous tasting food and is so easy to prepare. You can add to oils for salad dressings, cream cheese or mayo for a dip or spread or finely diced tomato and other vegetables for a salsa. You’ll find heaps of way to use it. I actually prefer it as a puree rather than pieces or strips. Hope you give it a go.
