A delightful dish that captures the essence of La Mancha, featuring roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and a cumin-garlic dressing.
105 minutes
A delightful dish that captures the essence of La Mancha, featuring roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and a cumin-garlic dressing.
Large Red Bell Peppers
each
each
Small To Medium White Or Red Onions, unpeeled
0 lb
tablespoons
tablespoons
to taste
teaspoons
handful
1. Preparation
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with foil. Arrange the bell peppers and garlic on one sheet and the onions on the other.
2. Roasting Peppers and Garlic
Place the baking sheet with the peppers and garlic on the top shelf of your oven. Roast the garlic for about 20 minutes, or until it is soft. Let the peppers roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them once during roasting. The skins should blister and blacken, which will make peeling easier later on.
3. Roasting Onions
Simultaneously, place the baking sheet with the onions on the shelf below the peppers. Allow the onions to roast for about 1 hour, or until they are soft.
4. Steaming Peppers
Once the peppers are roasted, carefully place them in plastic bags and twist the bags shut. Let them steam for 10 to 15 minutes. This step will make peeling the skins much easier.
5. Peeling and Cutting Peppers
After steaming, peel the skins off the peppers. Remove the stems and seeds, and cut the peppers into ½-inch strips.
6. Peeling and Cutting Onions
Allow the onions to cool slightly, then peel them. Cut each onion in half and then into thick slices. Arrange the pepper strips and onion slices on a platter or in a shallow bowl.
7. Making the Dressing
Separate and peel the garlic cloves. Using a food processor, blend the garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and cumin until smooth. This dressing will bring a harmonious balance of flavors to your salad.
8. Combining the Salad
Pour the cumin-garlic dressing over the roasted peppers and onions. Add a handful of black olives, and mix everything well to ensure the dressing coats the vegetables evenly. Let the salad sit for a bit to allow the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Achieve a deep, smoky flavor by charring the red peppers over an open flame if you have a gas stove, or alternatively, use a broiler. Once blackened, enclose the peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap to steam, which will make the skins easier to remove. Peeling the peppers while they are still warm can make the process easier. Ensuring all the skin is removed will prevent any unwanted bitter flavors in your salad.
Patience is key when caramelizing onions. Use a heavy-bottomed pan to ensure even heat distribution and cook the onions slowly over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. The natural sugars in the onions will caramelize, giving them a rich, sweet flavor. This can take upwards of 30 minutes, so don't rush the process by turning up the heat, as this may lead to burning.
Lastly, always taste your salad before serving. Adjust the seasoning, acid, and herbs as needed. Personal taste can vary, and this is where your palate guides you to the perfect balance for your version of the recipe.
Use the best quality olive oil you can find for the dressing, as its flavor will be prominent. Similarly, select ripe, firm red peppers and fresh, pungent garlic.
Toasting the cumin seeds before grinding them can intensify their nutty flavor. Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to freshly grind the seeds. Fresh garlic will provide a sharp, pungent taste that contrasts well with the sweetness of the onions and peppers. Use a microplane or garlic press to achieve a fine paste that will disperse evenly throughout the dressing.
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