Piperade

A classic Basque dish with sweet peppers, onions, and tomato. A delicious condiment that can be used to flavor other dishes like roast chicken or fish, with baked eggs, or with crusty bread as a lunchtime snack. My version incorporates some spices and chars the tomatoes under a broiler for even stronger flavors.

Yields ~4 cups

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5 roma tomatoes, cored

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onion, diced

3 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced

3 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced

1 Tbl kosher salt

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried cayenne (optional)

6 garlic clove, thinly sliced

2 Tbl tomato paste

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Turn broiler on high. Put tomatoes on a sheet pan and set under broiler for 8-10 minutes, until tomatoes are slightly charred. Remove from broiler and set aside.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, and warm oil until it begins to ripple. Add onion, peppers, salt, and spices, and mix well until vegetables become translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, until garlic is fragrant.

Add in whole, charred tomatoes and tomato paste. Break up the tomatoes into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook mixture down until most liquid has cooked off and it resembles a loose jam in texture, approximately 1 hour.

Remove from heat and cool. Use immediately, store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to several months.