I am a girl who
likes instant gratification. Patience may be a virtue, just not one of
mine. And when it comes to roasting peppers -- many of them naturally smoky
in their own right -- I see no advantage over using charcoal vs. gas. The
latter, with its ease of control, makes roasting a breeze, getting all
of them done evenly and virtually at the same time. The job can be easily done
while you relax with a cocktail, this
one, perhaps.
If your pepper
roasting fear has kept you from involving yourself in the roasting process as,
frankly, it has me, let me urge you to put those fears aside and dig in. It’s a
breeze, and now is the time to do it while the weather is warm (boy, is it!)
and a grill is handy.
Peppers can be
roasted over a flame on a gas stove, or broiled in an oven if a grill isn't
available. The overall intent is to char the skin, giving the pepper that roasted
flavor, and then remove the skin to reveal the flavorful flesh. I've had mixed
results (read: complete disaster) when roasting indoors, so for the most part never
bothered with any recipe that called for roasting peppers. Thanks to number two
son (rewarded here with what is surely the world's best jarred salsa) who
encouraged me (did the actual work) that is all behind me. We (okay, he)
roasted poblanos, courtesy of Melissa’s
Produce.
For the pepper
roasting neophyte, here is what you do.
Step 1:
Ignite your gas
grill, or get a good fire going in your charcoal grill and set the grate in
place.
Step 2:
Line up peppers on
the grate and let them roast. You will hear some sizzling and popping noises as
the skin begins to char. Use a long tongs to turn them to allow for even
roasting.
Step 3:
When they are evenly
charred, toss them into a paper bag. When all of the peppers are roasted and in
the bag, roll the top of the bag down to close.
Step 4:
Set the bag aside,
on a heat resistant surface, and let them hang out there until they are cool
enough to handle. Once cool, simply peel the skin off. Honestly, it comes
off in big sections like you are peeling a banana.
If you are roasting
hot peppers, be sure to wear gloves during handling. Once they are
peeled, remove the stem, veins, and seeds. They should look like this.
To keep for future
use, place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, place the sheet into the
freezer, and leave them for about thirty minutes. Once frozen, remove them from
the sheet and put them into plastic bags (and then, of course, back into the
freezer).
Label the plastic bag. When a recipe calls for roasted peppers, no
matter the season, you'll be all set. Just remove as many pieces as the recipe
requires and leave the rest for later.
This post is linked to:
Not every cake has its own provenance or Wikipedia page, but St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake does.
While not everyone who has consumed this dense and chewy sweet morning
cake knows the origin, we locals do, which serves to prove that even baking
mistakes can work out beautifully, and perhaps, better than the original. 
