On Broiling Green Peppers

Peppers were on sale yesterday, so Marash Girl, bought a bagful.  Here's what she did with them

She washed them thoroughly in cool water, of course, broiled them in the oven on a large cookie tray with a bit of water on the bottom, ('til skins were slightly burned, turning the peppers every so often), removed the tray of peppers from the oven, pulled out the stems, and along with the stem came the seeds, all of which she later composted in her garden.  Then comes the hard part -- removing the skins while the peppers are hot!  Can't hold on too tight or your fingers will burn!  But you can do it -- just keep a pan of cold ice water near by to cool off your fingers and keep them from burning (or you can cheat and run the peppers under cold water, but you'll lose the delicious juices that run out of the peppers after they're broiled).  After peeling all the peppers  and removing the stems and seeds, add salt, olive oil, wine vinegar and garlic (or wine vinegar in which has been steeping a garlic clove) to the peppers and the pepper 'juices'.  Refrigerate. A delicious treat that can be served hot or cold for several weeks.  

All this brings to mind Wilbraham, and the peppers, fresh from the garden --  they used to cook them over the fire before cooking the shish kebab -- peeling the broiled peppers  under the running cold water of the outdoor sink.  Marash Girl, when first married, suggested that everyone could peel their own peppers, but Medzmama would have no part of it.  And so Marash Girl learned her mother-in-law's trick of quick hands and cold water.

Broiling peppers also brings to mind Peter, Marash Girl's father. After Jennie (Marash Girl's mom) passed away, Peter made lunch for himself every day by toasting bread, broiling peppers in the toaster oven, melting cheese on the toasted bread, and adding the (unpeeled) broiled peppers. Absolutely delicious!