Grilled Peppers and Black Olives Tapa
Even though they have nothing to do with the recipe I am posting, I just must share a picture of these eye-catching Bosque Bumblebee tomatoes that I picked up at the farmers market yesterday.
Aren’t they adorable? And they taste nice too, with a mild, almost citrusy flavor.
Now on to my actual recipe a simple Grilled Peppers and Black Olives Tapa, its part crostini topping, part pepper salad, and totally delicious!
Bell peppers are grilled, or roasted until nicely charred making them even sweeter. The juice released by the peppers is reserved for adding to the vinaigrette.
Once the charred skin is removed the peppers are seeded and cut into thin strips, then placed in a bowl along with some black olives.
I like to use a dry salt-cured olive in this dish, but really any black olive will work.
The peppers and olives are tossed in a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic, and capers along with fresh thyme. If you like a little heat, add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to the vinaigrette.
Eat it right away or keep it in the fridge in an airtight container and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
I like to serve this as part of a tapas or appetizer, with lots of crusty grilled bread to soak up all the juices from the peppers and the garlicky sherry vinaigrette.
It also makes a delicious side dish with grilled fish or meat or toss with a can of chickpeas, and you have a nice salad for lunch.
If you like this dish you may also enjoy my recipe for Spicy Red Bell Pepper Condiment. It’s another great way to take advantage of peppers while they are in season!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 red bell peppers
- 3 yellow bell peppers
- 1 tbsp capers
- 10-12 small black olives
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves plus a few sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven or grill to 450°F. If Grilling: Lay the directly on the grill and cook, turning frequently, until the skins are blackened and have collapsed, about 10 -15 minutesIf Roasting: Lay the peppers on a broil pan or wire rack and roast, turning frequently for 15-20 minutes or until the skins are very dark and have collapsed.Let the peppers cool until comfortable enough to handle. them.TIP: place the peppers in a paper bag or a bowl covered in plastic wrap to steam for about 10 minutes helps loosen the skin.
- Holding one pepper at a time over a clean bowl, use a sharp knife to make a small whole in the base and gently squeeze out the juices and reserve them.
- Using your fingers or a sharp knife, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. Cut the peppers in half and remove the stem, seeds and membrane, then cut the peppers into thin strips. Place in a bowl, add the olives and set aside while you prepare the vinaigrette.
- Heat the olive oil in a small heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful to not let the garlic brown. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the sugar to dissolve. Allow to cool a bit before adding the sherry vinegar, capers, juice from the peppers and the red pepper flakes (if using). Whisk to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the peppers, add the thyme leaves and toss to combine.
- Place the pepper mixture on a serving dish, garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve at room temperature with grilled bread alongside.