Peperonata

Method6 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Have the onion and fennel sliced, peppers seeded and sliced slightly thinner than ½ inch, and garlic (2) lightly crushed and peeled. Rinse the capers (1 tablespoon) with the clean rinsing water, drain and pat them dry. Pour the ¼ cup cooking olive oil into a cold large skillet or heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Add the onion, fennel, peppers and garlic, then turn the heat to medium. Toss often as the vegetables gently cook for about 10 minutes, reducing the heat if they begin to scorch.

   Check gently cooked vegetables · 10 minUses ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil for the pan · 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced · 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered and thinly sliced · 2 pounds sweet ripe red bell peppers or a red, yellow and orange mix, about 6, seeded and thinly sliced · 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled · 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and patted dry · Clean water for rinsing the capers, discarded

2. 2

   Step 2: Season the vegetables from step 1 with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and partially cover the pan. Cook gently for another 10–15 minutes, checking from 10 minutes and stirring frequently, until softened but still slightly firm. Lower the heat as needed to prevent scorching.

   Check softened vegetables · 10 minUses Cooked vegetables and oil in the pan, excluding separately held rinsed capers · 1 teaspoon kosher salt

3. 3

   Step 3: Stir the prepared tomato sauce (1 cup) into the softened vegetables from step 2 and add the rinsed, dried capers prepared in step 1. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring as needed, until the sauce is reduced and the vegetables are tender, shiny and coated.

   Check reduced tomato sauce · 10 minUses Softened vegetables with pan oil · 1 cup prepared tomato sauce · The rinsed tablespoon of capers, held separately from the pan

4. 4

   Step 4: Raise the heat to medium-high and stir the balsamic vinegar (2 tablespoons) into the tomato-coated vegetables from step 3. Let the mixture simmer briskly for 1 minute.

   Lower the heat after vinegar simmer · 1 minUses Complete tomato-coated pepper stew · 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

5. 5

   Step 5: Lower the heat under the vinegar-seasoned stew from step 4 to medium-low and cook gently for another 2 minutes. Taste and add more kosher salt only if needed. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the combined ¼ cup torn basil and mint leaves.

   Finish gentle cooking · 2 minUses Vinegar-seasoned pepper stew · Additional kosher salt only if needed · ¼ cup torn fresh basil and mint leaves combined

6. 6

   Step 6: Let the herb-finished peperonata from step 5 stand off the heat for about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the two garlic cloves, finish with the additional drizzle of olive oil and serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container.

   Let peperonata flavors settle · 10 minUses Herb-finished pepper stew · Additional extra virgin olive oil for a finishing drizzle