Friday, February 3, 2012

Roasted Red Pepper Salad


I wasn't sure. Roasted red peppers with mint? And currants? Where was the garlic? The basil? The savory mixture I grew up eating? But I made it as written. My mother was sure. 

"This tastes just like Grandma's." And so I tasted it. And was finally sure. It was lovely.

The Roasted Red Pepper Salad comes from Christopher Hirscheimer and Melissa Hamilton's Canal House Cooking cookbook. The two women are number 33 on Gourmet's list of 50 Women Game Changers in Food. Hamilton is a former editor of Saveur and cut her cooking chops with a restaurant in New Jersey as well as at Martha Stewart's Living and Cook's Illustrated.

Christopher Hirschmeimer was one of the founder's of Saveur. But her work at Metropolitan Home Magazine is what brought her to acclaim. Hirscheimer is widely credited for changing the face of food photography. She added the artfully messy contrivances to the photos - letting go of the former "helmet hair" mentality that stalked the photos for decades. 


The two women had been friends for years and as many do, grew tired of the commuting/corporate world and -co-founded Canal House as a photo/design studio for food. That soon branched out into cookbooks - 3 volumes a year of 75 seasonal recipes.

"Canal House cooking is home cooking by home cooks for home cooks," is their mantra. Read more about the two women here.

Roasted red peppers in February? Is that seasonal? Well - sort of. If you roasted bushels of them back in September and then froze them for use all year round! All right - I get a "D" for seasonal cooking here. But an "A" for good taste! 


Roasted Red Pepper Salad
1 cup olive oil (I used a little more than half of that)
2 tablespoons currants (can use raisins, I used craisins)
1-2 tablespoons capers
juice of 1 lemon
4 red bell peppers (I used a mixture of red and yellow)
1 small handful of mint leaves - chopped or torn
salt and pepper to taste

Roast your peppers. Cut into long lengths. If you've never roasted peppers, follow the link at Ciao Chow Linda's blog. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil. Add currants (raisins) and capers. Add roasted peppers and turn to cover them. Add mint and salt and pepper to taste. Marinate at least 1 hour before serving. 

I do love bringing color to the table. Come February, I am starved for reds and yellows. And a little green.



I am coming to NYC with daughter the last week in March. It's been four years since I visited my little hometown. My baby cousins are full-fledged children and Eataly awaits! In early March I will be in Utah with Under a Midsummer Moon and the end of March - in NYC. I clearly don't have the hang of going to warmer climes in the winter! 

Please check out what the other bloggers are doing for Week 32 of Female Chef Gourmet Game Changers. And if you want to join in the fun, e-mail Mary at  One Perfect Bite. Mary started this delectable journey. 

Susan - The Spice GardenHeather - girlichef,
Miranda - Mangoes and ChutneyJeanette - Healthy Living
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds

41 comments:

Mary Bergfeld said...

Claudia, this is a really beautiful salad. These gals create food that is as pretty as it is delicious. Your is an especially good example of what makes their food unique and their books/magazines so popular. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

The Food Hunter said...

This calls for a nice loaf of crusty Italian bread.

Achu's Amma's Kitchen said...

this is go with Italian bread...looking awesome

Purabi Naha said...

Your recipe sounds so yummy...can't wait to try! This is right up my alley! The picture is making me drool as well!
http://cosmopolitancurrymania.blogspot.com

PolaM said...

Love roasted peppers. They are so good and colorful! Great dish!

TinaRBK said...

I will need to try this version of roasted peppers, it does have some interesting ingredients. Also, your picture here is pretty enticing. Nice read about the Canal House cooking and those two amazing women. Enjoy the weekend!

Heather S-G said...

It's so vibrant...I love it! I'm trying to imagine that combo...the sweet the salty...and I imagine it is amazing :D

Sudha said...

That's a yummy combo of flavor and colors - love that hint of green to go with the fiery red and yellow!A perfect comfort food:)The Canal House part was a good read too!Have a nice weekend and great times ahead!

Mari Nuñez said...

I love the taste of roasted red peppers. This salad with currants
and capers must be a true delicacy. I can't wait to try it.

Hugs

Marina said...

I never tried to freeze roasted peppers, always can it. Maybe next season I'l try a little. Interesting combination, I just bought some mint, need to try over weekend: we eat a lot of roasted pepper this days (from the jars I put by last summer). I love that plate with olives, it's just so beautiful! I know, I told you already... Have a very good weekend!

Kathy said...

Claudia, What a wonderful salad...I know what you mean about being starved for some red or orange veggies. This salad is so appealing! I'm going to bookmark this one. Nice post!

chow and chatter said...

love roasted peppers made a pesto with it last night

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

This is a great salad and roasted peppers make everything taste better, I love them in everything! Especially pizza!

Cucina49 said...

I'm with you--I never would have put that flavor combo together. But those colors! Such a vibrant dish for the middle of winter.

Reeni said...

You are so lucky to have those roasted peppers on hand! This is beautiful! I would be tempted to add garlic too.

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Thanks for the shout-out Claudia. I love the pretty color combo here - and never would have thought to use mint and capers but I'll take your word for it and try it. Hope to hear from you when you are in NY. Maybe we can meet for lunch or dinner.

Inessa said...

Claudia, its really nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping by. I really like your blog. Fantastic recipes with beautiful pictures. I love Italian food and defiantly will back :)

tasteofbeirut said...

A wonderful salad and sometimes letting go of garlic and basil is fine! :)

Velva said...

You do get an "A" for good taste! An "A" for a beautiful dish too. I love when dishes are simple and uncomplicated, and still explode with color.

Cheers.
Velva

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I wouldn't have thought of raisins and mint in this salad other but it comes with high accolades.

Jeannie said...

This is one dish I could eat alot of...and not put on too much calories, I like!:D

Amy said...

I love this! Roasted peppers are one of my all time favorite things :)! I love that you have different colored ones here, and quite the interesting combination of ingredients.

Anne said...

That is such a colorful salad. I am going to come back later to copy it down.

Lori Lynn said...

Sounds great to me. Like the idea of currants + capers.
LL

icedgurl said...

trekking your yummy blog!!! first time to see a salad pepper! looks delicious!

cheers!
..TREK..

Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. said...

Delicious! I like how colorful this dish is!

Beth said...

I'm looking forward to reading posts about both of your trips! You must be thrilled to see the production of your play.

Seasonal or not, the salad looks terrific.

Jayanthy Kumaran said...

absolutely lipsmacking..;P

Tasty Appetite

Frank said...

Not the way we ate them growing up, for me either. But this sure does sound good.

Cristina, from BA to Paris said...

Amazing colors for a cold and snowy Parisian day...One of my favorite antipasti to be shared with friends...
Baci,
Cristina

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

I adore roasted peppers, and although I'd probably raise an eyebrow at a few of these ingredients, too, it really looks amazing! Have fun with all your upcoming travels :)

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

I've got peppers frozen too, except I roasted them first and I bet they'll come out sort of mush-y, so that's why I'd probably use them in a soup or sauce. However, I still buy fresh peppers even tho it is off-season for them. We do our best I think, and I think your cooking sensibility is admirable, Claudia! Happy Sunday afternoon! Wish you could be here to enjoy the warm 70 degree weather. It's time for me to go outside and mow the lawn now! I'm really serious!!!!

Torviewtoronto said...

delicious looking salad looks wonderful

Magic of Spice said...

This is absolutely delightful! And we can get them from various parts of CA thought most of the year...I adore peppers :)

Erica said...

Love the colors!!!I love peppers and this salad sounds delicious!

Island Vittles said...

This salad screams summer! At least we have the glorious colours of all those peppers to tide us over until then...Theresa

Jann said...

What a colorful dish~loving the capers tossed in there....

FOODESSA said...

Any chance I get...colourful peppers are tossed into my meals. A salad like this would be welcomed, however, I have to admit to probably leaving out the extra sweetness from the currants. I also never went for my 'Nonno' putting them in his meatballs neither. Just a personal thing ;)

Have a great day,
Claudia

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

This looks so pretty! I never thought to add mint to roasted peppers but I'll definitely try this in summer when my mint plants are growing.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A fabulous dish! I am a real sucker for bell peppers and capers.

Cheers,

Rosa

Barbara GF said...

This salad is a riot of color, Claudia, and looks so delicious with the capers and mint.