As you guys probably already know, I make Sweet Chilli Relish amongst other preserves, and one of the key ingredients is red peppers.  Having now finished all of my shows for 2013 as you can imagine I had a few peppers left over.

I thought maybe I could freeze them and use them at some point in the future but that just defeats the object of using fresh ingredients.  But, I was out earlier and saw some pickled peppers in a jar, after quickly scanning the ingredients on the label. I thought, I can do that! These peppers are great in Italian style food and work well in a fresh salad or sliced up and added to lasagne. But for me they make a great addition to an antipasto platter! So for my pickled roasted peppers you’ll need:

• 8-9 red bell peppers (although feel free to use any you have, I just happened to have only red ones)
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup oil (olive oil works best)
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup caster sugar
• Splash of soy sauce
• Splash malt vinegar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Well first off the fiddly bit.  I am yet to find a quick and easy way of deseeding a pepper (any suggestions welcome). What I do cut to top off and take out the middle out that way, as if you were going to stuff them and replace the lid.  Once you deseeded your peppers, cut them into strips about an inch wide, put them on a baking tray skin side up and stick them under the grill until the skins go black.

Whilst the peppers are blackening under the grill, sterilise 2, 1lb jars in the oven.  Once the peppers are done, take them out, leave them to cool for a few minutes and then peel off the skin.  In a jug mix together the other ingredients. Then grab your jars, fill them with your cooked peppers and then top them off with the pickling liquid.  Screw on the top and leave for at least 48 hours before you eat them although they are much better after about a fortnight!

PG