Peppers caught my eye at the market this week, their skins like a blazing vegetable sunset turning from deep green to burnished red. As a child I loved them best raw, the cool, juicy snap of them. Lately though, I’ve started roasting them more and more often.

Roasting peppers concentrates their flavor and lends them a smokiness that complements their natural sweetness. To me, it also makes them more versatile: if I have a container of roasted peppers preserved in salt and olive oil in the fridge, I’m more likely to layer them on toast with peppery greens and a fried egg for dinner, toss them with white beans and garlic as a side dish, or pair them with pickles atop my burger.

The technique is easy to master and you can roast a lot of peppers at the same time without much effort. If you roast more than you know what to do with, puree them, mix with olive oil, a little salt, and any herbs and spices you like, then store them in a jar in a fridge to use as a relish, spread, or dip.

Roasted Peppers
Roasted peppers are most flavorful when cooked on a grill over a wood fire, or at least real charcoal: grill them, turning occasionally, until they are blistered and partially blackened on all sides, then continue with Step 3 below. If you have a gas stove and a lot of time on your hands, you can hold the peppers with tongs over the open flame, turning to roast them equally on all sides, then pick up with Step 3. If, like me, you only have recourse to an electric stove, roast your peppers using the method below.

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Wash and dry several peppers and place them on a baking sheet (lightly greased or covered with tinfoil or parchment paper.
2. Bake the peppers for 15 minutes on one side, then turn them over with tongs and bake 15 minutes more on the other side, until blistered, blackened and collapsed.
3. Transfer peppers with tongs to a large Ziploc bag and seal it tight. The steam inside will separate the pepper skins from the flesh.
4. When the peppers have cooled, peel their skins off, remove their stems and seeds and discard. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Here’s a recipe to try with your first batch:

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes
Serves 4

1 ½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and boiled until tender, or 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained
3 medium bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped into small pieces
10-12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
¼ red onion, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
¾ tsp. kosher salt
A few grinds of black pepper
Dash of crushed red pepper
½ cup fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, basil, mint, cilantro), finely chopped
(If you like, reduce the salt and add chopped olives, capers, or feta cheese)

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients. Chill or let rest at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors meld. Garnish with Greek yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and additional fresh herbs if you like.