Peppers make me feel summery and happy, and the thing I like most about them is their wonderful sweetness. From the jarred peppers that have been burnt, blistered, peeled and preserved – therefore offering loads of convenience – to those that are raw, fresh, pickled, smoked, dried and ground, the myriad possibilities and varieties are phenomenal.
This week, I've chosen the larger, milder varieties that are more commonly found in shops and supermarkets, and which have been truly embraced into many aspects of regional Spanish cooking. The Spaniards definitely have a way with peppers, and I love how they seem to pop up in all sorts of pintxos, especially in the country's tapas bars. Layered into mini grilled cheese sandwiches, paired with simply grilled seafood, stuffed with anchovies and olives or charred and chopped up with loads of other veggies for escalivada, there are so many ways to embrace them.
This week, I've shown you the ultimate way to remove pepper skins – you can do it on a barbecue or under the grill, or if you have neither of these, hold the peppers with a pair of tongs directly over a flame on the stove. Blister and char them until the skins are black, then place the peppers in a bowl with plastic wrap on top and allow to sit and steam for 15 minutes. The skins will simply peel off and the flesh will be soft, sweet and gloriously smoky. Tossed in a herby dressing, escalivada is a humble, brilliant dish to be eaten on its own, with grilled or barbecued fish or meat, or as part of a big spread. Enjoy!