Roasted Bell Peppers

These can pump up veg content and flavor in a few little sweet strips. I've got to credit the Improvisation Cook (a wonderful book by Sally Schneider which I strongly recommend) for the recipe because that's where I first got the recipe from. Too many other books wanted me to own a grill in order to roast peppers and I can't afford one so I felt a lot of despair till I read this recipe that uses the broiler. I changed some little bits of the recipe around but how much can you change a recipe for broiling bell peppers? This is wonderful to make ahead.

Ingredients:

red bell peppers*

olive oil

salt

pepper

Standing the peppers upright on a cutting board, cut them into quarters, trying to leave the membranes and seeds and everything inside what is left of the pepper. Cut these slices into strips and toss them with a little olive oil. Salt and pepper them a little, too. Roast on a cookie sheet skin side down under a medium broiler until fork tender. Cool and remove skin (it should come off easily). Use in sandwiches (heaven in grilled cheese, but wonderful on everything else, too), on pizzas, in pasta sauces, etc.

*red bell peppers are very much superior to green ones and less expensive than yellow ones, so they are my pepper of choice. Green and purple bell peppers are the same plant as red and yellow, only unripe, so they are less sweet.