This salad pairs perfectly with a pitcher of gazpacho alentejano (recipe on the site) in August. Roasted red peppers, blistered until the skin slides off in sheets, dressed simply with garlic, vinegar and good olive oil. It sounds almost too plain to write down, and that is exactly the point of much Portuguese home cooking: three ingredients treated with total seriousness.
In Portugal you will find a version of this salad next to nearly every plate of grilled fish or espetada (recipe on the site) that comes off a summer grill, because peppers roast beautifully over the same coals doing the meat.
The char is not a mistake, it is the whole flavor, so do not rush past the blackened, blistered stage, whether you cook the peppers on a grill, under a broiler, or right over a gas burner.
It holds in the fridge for days and only gets better as the garlic mellows into the oil, which makes it one of the easiest make-ahead dishes for a backyard dinner.
Salada de Pimentos Assados Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- A few anchovy fillets or oil-cured black olives, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Char the peppers whole over a gas burner, under a hot broiler, or on a grill, turning occasionally, until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, or place in a paper bag and fold shut. Let steam for 10 minutes, which loosens the skin.
- Once cool enough to handle, peel off the blackened skin with your fingers (do not rinse under water, which washes away flavor), then remove the stem, seeds and core.
- Tear or slice the peppers into strips and arrange on a plate, along with any juices collected in the bowl.
- Scatter the garlic over the top, then drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt.
- Let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving so the flavors meld, or refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Finish with chopped parsley and, if you like, a few anchovy fillets or olives just before serving.
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