How I Roast and Pickle Vegetables
Here are the recipes for for the veggies I use on my sandwiches. They are really easy to make and actually quite addicting. I always have an ample supply in the fridge. I have converted may a sandwich eater using these. They usually say they dint miss the meat.
Roasting petite red and yellow peppers
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. (you can also grill them)
Spread the peppers in a single layer on a prepared cookie sheet. (I spray mine well as they otherwise do stick) Make sure you use peppers that are approximately the same size.
Roast for about 20 minutes.They should be slightly charred on the bottom. Turn and cook another 20 minutes or until desired char is achieved.
(Another way would be to roast large peppers right on a gas burner. You could also pan roast tomatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium low heat until chared and cooked down. This is my preferred method.) .
Let cool. You can put them in a bag to cool if you want to take the skins off. They will peel easily. Personally, I love them just the way they are. (thank you Billy Joel)
Remove the tops and split down the middle and remove seeds. Many of the little peppers don't even have seeds!
Toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and keep in a jar in the fridge. They will keep a week or two. I never have them that long. Love me some roasted peppers. and tomatoes
You can put them on a sandwich, or in sauce. There are many creative ways to use these.
The method for making these is pretty much the same as the peppers except:
After 20 minutes, you will see a lot of juice and seeds. I smash down the tomatoes a little and strain just the liquid to get rid of a lot of the seeds. If you don't mind them, don't do it.
Spread the tomatoes out on the pan while turning. You can return some of the liquid to the pan for it to cook down. Cook another 20 minutes or until desired char is achieved.
When cool, toss with a little olive oil and refrigerate. So sweet and delightful.
VARIATIONS: I like to roast a pablano pepper right along side the other peppers. Sometimes, I even roast an eggplant on a separate pan. I like to divide the pepper and tomatoes adding the pepper to one and the eggplant to the other.
Pablano peppers are big enough to put directly on a flame.
Pickled Veggies
Combine :
1 quart water
1/2 cup organic sugar (or whatever sweetener you like)
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
Pour into a large jar with a lid and set aside
*****
Into a saucepan combine:
1/2 head small cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces and blanched with:
2 cloves garlic, diced
1" piece of ginger, pealed and diced.
Remove from the heat after 1/2 minute and drain. Run cold water over the mix.
Set aside to cool.
*****
Cut 2 petite cucumbers into coins
6 petite red peppers into chunks
1 medium carrot into thin coins
Add the vegetables to the liquid in the jar and stir. Make sure the veggies are covered. Add a little water if you need to.
Keep in the fridge for 2 days. Stir after the first day. They will keep for several months this way. Yeah, right. Mine are gone in a couple of weeks.
Fantastic right out of the jar.
For sandwiches:
Chop about 1/2 cup for Muffaletta sandwiches and store in a separate small jar..
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