I have come backwards to arrive at this post; normally when writing about someone else’s recipe I would test it and then discuss how it worked. In this case I made the dish first and then went in search of the recipe. Perhaps I should explain...
Last year I went for dinner at the house of some family friends who live nearby. As the starter, Lynne served a selection of antipasti which included the most delicious roast peppers I had ever tasted; they were so good that I cannot remember any of the other antipasti, and this coming from someone who annoys people (read the boyfriend and previously the ex-boyfriend) by describing a restaurant not by where it was or what it looked like, but by what they and I each had for starters, mains and dessert.
I had made many a roast pepper in my time, but none matched up to these. All the usual subjects seemed to be there – garlic, basil, lashings of olive oil – but what made these one’s so special? I pressed Lynne for the answer: anchovies.
I must admit I was surprised when I found out. Not because it isn’t a wonderful idea, but because the flavour was so subtle, not a hint of fish. I should have known better really, long having used anchovies with capers as a rub for lamb; in that dish too the anchovies seem to melt into oblivion leaving behind a delectable, but not quite detectable flavour. Lynne told me that she got the recipe from Delia Smith and I didn’t question her any further, the mystery was solved.
Since then I have made this dish many times, either as a standalone starter or as part of an antipasti as Lynne did, in both cases served with crusty bread to mop up those heavenly juices.
I am not going to write out the recipe in full because, as I just discovered, you can find it here, on Delia’s website. And despite never having looked at it before just now, it seems that the way I have been making it is much the same.
You will notice in the pictures that on this occasion I have not left the stalks in, as the original recipe; this is not a matter of preference, but rather because the peppers I used were going bad and were bruised around the top. I agree with Delia that leaving them in looks good and would usually have done so.
There is, however, one important difference; although you will see in my picture that I cooked 3 tomatoes as well, this was just because there were 3 people dining and only 2 peppers. I was unaware that tomatoes had ever featured in the original recipe, cooked inside the pepper no less. My recipe was based on how I had it at Lynne’s and there were no tomatoes involved in her dish. I have enjoyed it as such ever since, but I now that I have seen this I am certainly going to try it.
I will let you know how it goes...