The standard grilled pepper should be a part of every home cook’s repertoire. They’re a perfect accompaniment to nearly any simply grilled dish. Feel free to use a mix of yellow, orange, and red bell peppers if it appeals to you.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 red bell peppers

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

　　1 tablespoon drained capers (optional)

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Start a grill or preheat the broiler; put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. When the fire is hot, put the peppers directly over the heat. Grill, turning as each side blackens, until they collapse, about 15 minutes. Wrap in foil and cool until you can handle them, then remove the skin, seeds, and stems. You will inevitably shred them in this process, and that’s fine.

　　

Step 2

Drizzle the peppers with the olive oil and vinegar, then sprinkle with the capers if you like and some pepper. Taste and add salt if necessary, then serve.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.