GRILLED PEPPERS WITH GINGER- ONION SHIO TARE

❚ ❚ 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp (140 ml) vegetable oil

❚ ❚ 1/2 onion, finely diced

❚ ❚ 4 garlic cloves, minced

❚ ❚ One 1-inch (2.5- cm) piece ginger, peeled and minced

❚ ❚ 1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) fine sea salt

❚ ❚ 3 bell peppers (or 12–15 small, sweet peppers) of various colours

1. For the shio tare: Combine the oil, onion, garlic and ginger in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, set over low heat and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and barely begun to brown.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and add 5 tablespoons (75 ml) water and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Cool to room temperature, then taste and decide whether or not to add more salt.

3. Prepare a medium fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

4. If you’re using large peppers, stem them, remove the seeds and slice into quarters. Grill over medium heat or roast on a baking sheet, turning occasionally, until the skins have begun to blacken in places and the flesh is tender but not completely limp, about 20 minutes. Arrange the peppers on a plate and top generously with the shio tare. Serve warm.

Serves: 4 to 6 as an appetizer Note: The recipe makes more tare than you need for the peppers, but it’ll keep in the fridge for a week, during which time you’ll undoubtedly find other uses for it, or other things to smear it on (roasted potatoes and mushrooms, fried cauliflower, grilled lettuces).