Sweet Pepper Relish
Many years ago, when we lived in Colorado, we found a wonderful farmer's market and craft fair in Manitou Springs. Very early one a Saturday morning and I dragged my brother-in-law/best friend, Joel, along for a day a food, crafts and other fun activities.
Driving down the mountain pass was one of my favorite things about Colorado, the beautiful mountains and red rocks were always breathtaking. When we got to the farmer's market, the first thing I remember was the wafting smell of roasted peppers. There was a huge metal basket and a raging fire below it. A young man was turning the basket every few minutes to move the peppers around to get the perfect char. We took home several bags of these sweet, smoky treats as well as some beautiful artisan crafts. It was a good day.
Needless to say, roasted red peppers have since been a favorite ingredient for me. I love to incorporate them into hummus as well as rice, vegetable dishes, fajitas ... well, the list goes on. It is not hard to roast your own peppers - I mean really, we can all burn food - right? The trick is to get a really good char so that you can remove the skin easily.
This relish recipe was easy and so flavorful. We used it to top off a dish of rice and grilled vegetables, as a layer on a turkey and cheese sandwich and of course, in homemade hummus.
- 4 large red peppers, whole
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of Roasted Garlic Flakes or 3 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Sweet Paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Just a pinch of Sea Salt
- Roast red peppers and remove skin (see below instructions for roasting your own peppers)
- In a medium skillet or saute pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat and add onions, cooking until soft and translucent
- Add garlic and continue to cook for another minute or two until garlic starts to become fragrant (watch garlic closely so that it does not burn)
- Add the roasted peppers and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add about 3 Tablespoons of water to the peppers and then add balsamic vinegar, sugar, Smoked Sweet Paprika, Ground Black Pepper and Salt to the roasted pepper mixture.
- Heat to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.
- Serve warm or allow to cool and refrigerate for up to one week.
