Roasted Red Pepper & Onion Salad with Mozzarella & Basil
This salad is a standard on my table because it’s objectively tasty, of course, but also because most of the preparation is simply allowing the ingredients to rest. The sweetness of the onions paired with the smokiness of the bell peppers is an easy sell, but what really shines has nothing to do with my cooking. I’m talking about one of my favorite things: plain mozzarella. Or, as I like to call it, “solid milk.”
Ingrediënten
Serves 6
- 2 large unpeeled white onions
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into ½-inch rounds
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup tightly packed small basil leaves or large leaves cut with kitchen scissors
Instructies
- It helps to know: This recipe requires a gas stove.
- See the Red Pepper & Basil Relish on this page for an alternative roasting method.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Coat the onions with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil.
- Roast on a baking sheet for 45 minutes.
- Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, with your gas burner on high, set one of the bell peppers directly on the grate.
- Allow the outer skin to char thoroughly on each side, using tongs to rotate until the entire pepper is black, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Roast one pepper at a time, or use all four burners to keep things extra exciting.
- You’ll want your fan on and the windows open either way.
- Set the blackened peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Spread the mozzarella on a large serving platter with space between each slice.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
- Set aside.
- When the onions have cooled, remove them from the foil, reserving the pool of roasting liquid that’s formed at the bottom.
- Peel and cut them into quarters.
- Place them in a large bowl along with their roasting liquid, allowing the wedges to fall apart into individual slices.
- When the peppers have cooled, use your hands to peel off their skin.
- Remove the stem, rip them in half, and discard their seeds.
- Rinse with cold water and pat dry.
- Cut the peeled peppers into 1-inch-wide strips and mix them in with the onions, ½ cup olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, basil, and a pinch of salt.
- Arrange the bell pepper and onion mixture around the mozzarella.
- Serve immediately.
- Pairs well with “Town without Pity” by Gene Pitney
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