Roasted red pepper puree is incredibly useful, easy to make, and delicious—you can eat it with a spoon. It contains two basic ingredients, red bell peppers and olive oil, and both are always readily available. And since making a batch is about as difficult as scrambling an egg, and the puree keeps fairly well, there’s little reason not to have some on hand. If you are so inclined, you can flavor it with any number of herbs (thyme, basil, and parsley are fine) or spices, like cumin or chile powder (or minced chiles). I usually leave the sauce unadulterated. Of course you can use bottled or canned preroasted peppers (“pimientos”) here, though the results will not be as fresh tasting.

　　

Ingredients

makes at least 4 servings

　　4 large red bell peppers (about 2 pounds)

　　Salt

　　1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to fold over the top later. Put the bell peppers in the pan and the pan in the oven. Roast, turning the peppers about every 10 minutes, until they collapse, about 40 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Fold the foil over the peppers and allow them to cool. Working over a bowl, remove the core, skin, and seeds from each of the peppers, reserving some of the liquid.

　　

Step 3

Put the pepper pulp in a food processor with about 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Add a large pinch of salt and turn on the machine; drizzle the oil in through the feed tube. Stop the machine, then taste and add more salt and/or olive oil if necessary. Store, well covered, in the refrigerator (for several days) or the freezer (up to a month).

　　

Variations

Step 4

Add a couple tablespoons of puree to the cooking liquid of any simmering grain—rice, couscous, or quinoa, for example.

　　

Step 5

Use in place of or with tomatoes in pasta sauce. For example, sauté several vegetables and bind them with the puree during the last minute of cooking.

　　

Step 6

Fold into omelets or scrambled eggs, with or without cooked vegetables.

　　

Step 7

Combine with chopped fresh basil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and minced garlic for a pestolike pasta sauce.

　　

Step 8

Emulsify with fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make a beautiful salad dressing.

　　

Step 9

Spread on crostini or pizza before baking.

　　

Step 10

Use as a finishing sauce for roasted eggplant, zucchini, or other vegetables.

　　

Step 11

Serve as a condiment with grilled or roasted fish, meat, or chicken.

　　

Step 12

Stir into soups or stews just before serving.

　　

Step 13

Mash a couple tablespoons of puree, with a little olive oil, minced garlic, and cracked black pepper, into fresh, salty cheese—like feta or goat—to make a dip for bread or vegetables.

　　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.