how to roast peppers

Danny loves heat and fire. It's part of the reason he's a chef. Only part. He really loves to feed people. However, if he gets to watch flames arc high toward the ceiling as he shakes the skillet over the burner while he's searing something, so much the better.

We wouldn't recommend that you do that at home. However, don't be afraid of heat or gas flames. Roasting a pepper over a gas flame makes the house smell wonderful, full of char and campfire memories of burnt marshmallows.

I love roasted red peppers. Make some pasta, top it with some olive oil, some sauteed mushrooms, and roasted red peppers, and you're nearly there. Grate some good Parmesan on top and throw in a handful of briny pitted olives? Dinner.

Roasted peppers lend a depth of flavor to simple foods like scrambled eggs, vegetable soup, and large chopped salads full of summer bites that might otherwise taste flat. You can buy them in a jar, but they are expensive this way.

If you don't know how to roast peppers, watch this video of Danny demonstrating and you will soon.

p.s. we need your suggestions...


We hope you enjoy the video. But frankly, it's a little hard for us to look at, because we're hating the video quality. We've been trying to make this work with a Flip camera, and then with a Kodak Z16. But both are so grainy in the close-ups. Plus, it may be summer, but on Sunday it was dark and cold enough that Danny was wearing that long-sleeve wool plaid shirt. Ugh.

So we want to get a proper video camera, one we can attach to a mic to put on Danny. That way, you can hear him! Does anyone have suggestions? Brands? Makes? Types? Anyone want to sell us one for cheap? We need something reasonable and good.

p.p.s. Thank you all for your lovely, heartfelt comments on the Oprah audition. Danny and I have been reading them, buoyed by your kindness. We are determined to do everything we can to make life easier for those of us who cannot eat gluten.

Did you know that you can vote for that video more than once? In fact, you can vote as many times as you like! And you can tell your friends to do the same!