The addictive roasted pepper salad

This is a Spanish salad that I absolutely adore. I was under the impression that the addictive part was a gimmick in the title till the first time I had this salad. I now make it 2-3 times a year, which is a very high rate of repeat for me. I'm a fan of roasting peppers in the oven or on the grill, rather than using bottled pepper strips. The bottled versions are always stored in a mild vinegar-based liquid that makes them taste funky. The roasted peppers are just an explosion of fresh flavours. Yes, there is a big difference.

The flavours are complex and come together beautifully with the marination. The different peppers add nuances of flavour from sweet to spicy, and the vinegars add a hint of tartness to the salad.

The New Spanish Table is one of my favourite cookbooks for tapas and other Spanish foods. I have cooked several recipes from this very hefty cookbook, and all of them, like this one, are superb. The recipes are authentic to their core, full of flavour, and delicious. As I absolutely love Spanish cuisine, particularly Catalan, I often turn to this cookbook. I highly recommend it for those who want excellent Spanish cuisine on their tables.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

4 red bell peppers

3 yellow bell peppers

1 green bell pepper, or poblano chilli

2 tomatoes, diced very finely

1/2 medium sweet white onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced very fine

5 tablespoons EVOO

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Salt to taste

Start by roasting the peppers in the oven on the broil function till all the sides are charred and the flesh is cooked. Cool, peel and deseed the peppers, reserving the juices. Cut the roasted flesh into fine, thin strips, and add the strained roasting juices.

Mix the rest of the ingredients into the peppers and mix in well. Sit for 3 hours for the flavours to come together. I usually make this the night before so the scale has time to mature.

Serve at room temperature with bread.