Mixed Sweet (Bell) Pepper Sauce

This is my oldest daughter’s favourite.  I make a big batch and then have it in the fridge for a few days and after school she will toast some of my semi-sourdough, warm some of the pepper sauce to top the bread with.  If I happen to have some around in the fridge I have an instant meal by turning it into a pasta sauce.  This is typical Mediterranean food, very simple, few ingredients but strong flavour and so adaptable for making it either as a bruschetta topping like my daughter eats it or leaving it wet enough for me to cook some chicken in it and making a family meal.

It’s the sort of dish that is perfect served warm, or at room temperature.   This would also be perfect as part of a tapas or meze.  I have also reduced it right down, whizzed in my little chopper and used it as a pizza base, and lets not forget pitta or wrap fillings.  If you’re thinking it’s odd in the top photo I have chopped chives it’s because I was trying hard to get my camera lens to focus and had run out of parsley.  A good tip that when using colours like red or white to get focus.

In my perfect world I would always be able to buy sun ripen tomatoes and beautiful purple garlic like this one.

Sweet (Bell) Pepper Sauce

The ingredients list is just a guide line and perfectly adaptable to your own variation

olive oil to fry the onion
1 very large onion, chopped
5-6 large mixed sweet (bell) peppers, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
1 lb / 500g fresh tomatoes, chopped
3 large sprigs of thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
2 large sprigs of marjoram, leaves striped and chopped – optional
Fresh parsley, a large handful, chopped
Fresh basil, a few leaves torn – optional
salt & pepper

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle over at the end – optional

Soften the onion in olive oil until it starts to colour a little, go soft and translucent.  Add the chopped peppers and stir, I like to let them soften for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients except the parsley and basil if using.  I add the parsley in the last 2-5 minutes, followed by the basil.  Depending how you want the sauce, simmer it gently without a lid between 25 – 45 mins.

If Using Peppers as a Bruschetta Topping or Wrap Filling
This is obvious but if you want the end dish to be quite dry then cook the peppers in a wide shallow pan to make sure the juice from tomatoes and peppers evaporate well.

If Using Peppers as a Sauce
If you’re after a more saucy dish or to use it to cook meat, use a deeper pan and you may want to put a lid for half of the time.

Depending how much liquid you want at the end, you cook the peppers in pans of different depths.  The above photo the peppers have been cooking in a large frying pan giving you peppers ideal for wraps or toppings.  Below I cooked the peppers in a deep pan as I wanted them for a sauce to go with chicken.

When I’m happy with the consistency of it at the end I’ll add a big drizzle of my best extra virgin olive oil.

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