Marinated Peppers And Potatoes With Olives And Capers Food

BELL PEPPER SALAD WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Cut peppers in half from top to bottom. Remove stems, seeds and veins, then slice peppers into strips about ⅛-inch wide.
• Make a vinaigrette: Using a mortar and pestle, smash anchovy fillet and garlic into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl, and add red wine vinegar and chopped capers. Stir in olive oil and season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
• Put sliced peppers in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Add vinaigrette and toss again. Leave for 10 minutes, then taste again and adjust seasoning. (The salad can sit for 15 to 20 minutes without suffering.)
• Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, whole capers, olives and anchovy fillets. Surround with arugula, if using. Sprinkle with oregano, if using.

MARINATED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place peppers on a rimmed baking sheet; rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast until peppers are soft and skins have split, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer peppers to a medium bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let peppers steam 20 minutes.
• Peel peppers, slice in half lengthwise, and remove ribs and seeds. Cut into 1-inch-wide strips and return to bowl. Add lemon zest and juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil and toss.

MARINATED PEPPERS AND POTATOES WITH OLIVES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 550°F or the highest setting.
• Place the bell peppers in a 9 × 13-inch roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Toss well to coat.
• Roast the peppers until the skins begin to blister and peel, about 25 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap so that no steam escapes. Set aside.
• Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the potatoes to simmer until just tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set the potatoes aside to cool.
• Remove the peppers from the bowl and lay them skin side up on a cutting board. Scrape away the skin with a chef's knife and discard. Cut the peppers into 1-inch strips.
• Transfer the peppers and potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add the basil, olives, capers, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons olive oil and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the chicken, skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook undisturbed, adjusting the heat so the chicken doesn't burn, until the pieces are browned on the bottom and release easily from the skillet, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue cooking, turning the chicken every few minutes, until it's brown all over, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
• Add the onions and capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes; cook until the mixture starts to bubble and the tomatoes thicken slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the wine and let the mixture bubble for another 2 minutes.
• Add the olives and thyme, and return the chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles gently but steadily, then cover the skillet. Cook, turning the chicken every 10 minutes or so and adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce looks too dry, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 155 to 165). Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.

ROASTED AND MARINATED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Brush grill with oil; heat to medium hot. Grill peppers until blackened, 8 to 12 minutes. Let peppers cool in a paper bag. Peel and seed, saving juices. Cut into 1-inch strips.
• In a bowl, combine garlic, vinegar, thyme, salt, pepper, and any pepper juices. Gradually whisk in oil. Toss peppers with vinaigrette, and arrange on a platter to serve.

MARINATED FETA CHEESE WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Cut feta cheese into cubes. Slice garlic. Place peppercorns and corriander seeds in a mortar and crush lightly with pestle.
• Pack the feta cubes into a large preserving jar with bay leaf, interspersing layers of cheese with garlic, crushed peppercorns and corriander, capers, olives and the fresh oregano sprigs.
• Pour enough olive oil in jar, to cover. Close tightly and leave to marinate for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
• Lift out the feta cubes and serve on toasted bread with chopped tomatoes and a little of the flavored oil.

OLIVE OIL WITH CAPERS AND CHILI PEPPERS

Steps:

• Rinse the capers under running water and drain well on paper towels.
• Chop 2 tblsps of the capers and place them in a clean, absolutely dry 2-cup bottle.
• Add the remaining capers and the chili peppers and fill the bottle with olive oil.
• Cover and keep in a cool, dark place for a week, shaking from time to time, before using.
• This oil will keep for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place.

ROASTED PEPPERS WITH CAPERS, OLIVES AND ANCHOVY

Steps:

• Roast the peppers: Place each pepper directly on the flames of a stovetop burner or under the broiler as close to the flames as possible. (Alternatively, place the pepper on a hot charcoal or gas grill.) Turning frequently with tongs, allow the skin to blacken and blister all over; About 10 minutes should suffice. Remove from flames, and leave to rest on a plate until cool enough to handle. Ideally, you should cook all the peppers at once rather than one at a time.
• Cut the roasted pepper in half lengthwise. Using a small knife, scrape away and discard seeds. Turn over and scrape away the blackened skin. Wipe with a paper towel, if necessary. Do not rinse - a little char is fine. Leave the pepper halves in one piece or cut into strips 3/4-inch wide. Place in a small bowl, toss with salt and pepper, red-pepper flakes, garlic and a little olive oil. Leave to marinate at least 10 minutes.
• Lay pepper halves or strips flat on a plate and add 3 or 4 anchovy fillets per serving. Garnish with a few capers and olives. Sprinkle with a little more salt and olive oil, and scatter basil leaves over the top.

POTATO SALAD WITH CAPERS, KALAMATA OLIVES AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling water cook the potatoes until fork tender.
• Drain and set aside to cool. Once cooled, cut up into chunks. If you wish, you can peel the potatoes before cutting up into chunks.
• Add the potatoes to a salad bowl. Pour the vegetable broth over the potatoes and stir gently to coat.
• Add the fresh parsley, kalamata olives, artichokes, olive oil, vinegar, green onion, capers and garlic. Toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To serve warm, allow salad to sit for 30 minutes or chill to serve cold.
• Just before serving, adjust seasonings if necessary.
• Servings are estimated.
• For Vegetarain option omit the chicken broth and use Vegetable broth.