Blackened Bell Pepper - One of Many Ways

I didn’t realize that most bell peppers start out green and ripen to become red, orange and yellow peppers. The longer the pepper ripens on the plant, the more sugar they develop, which explains why green bell peppers are often sharp and bitter tasting.

At the height of the season, red, orange and yellow bell peppers nearly assault our senses with the clarity of their color and their unblemished, curved shapes.  I know I am going overboard a bit, but wow! They are gorgeous! While delicious fresh, they are even better roasted on an open gas flame until blackened and fully cooked.

Wash and dry a beautiful, height-of-the-season bell pepper. Although curved, the pepper is roughly four sided. Place one side down on a medium-low gas flame and cook until blistered. With tongs, turn and repeat on the three remaining sides until you have a smoldering, blackened hulk. 

With tongs, place the pepper into a heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When the bell pepper is cooled, remove from the bowl and rub or peel off the blackened skin. What you have beneath, is a glorious, smoky “deliciousness” ready for you to use as toppings for open-faced sandwiches, as a sauce for pasta, or as the main event in a vinaigrette- dressed salad, to name a few ideas.