Fresh large peppers, both hot and sweet, have a tough, transparent outer skin that should be removed unless they are served raw. The easiest way to loosen the skins is by charring them over a gas burner or under the broiler. Peppers may be roasted, peeled, seeded, and the ribs removed as described below 1 or 2 days in advance of their use in a recipe. Roasted peppers may be covered with olive oil and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Drain the olive oil from the peppers before using. If storing roasted peppers without oil, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

　　To roast fresh peppers: Place the peppers directly on the trivet of a gas-stove burner over high heat, or on a grill. Just as each section becomes puffy and black, turn the pepper with tongs to prevent overcooking. (If you don’t have a gas stove, place the peppers on a baking pan, and broil in the oven, turning as each side becomes charred.) Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, and cover immediately with plastic wrap. The juices, which can be added to the liquid component of the recipe for deeper flavor, will collect in the bowl. Let the peppers sweat until they are cool enough to handle, approximately 15 minutes. The steam helps loosen the skins. Transfer the peppers to a work surface. (If you have sensitive skin, wear thin plastic gloves when handling the peppers.) Peel off the blackened skin and discard. There may be bits of charred skin that are not easily peeled away; it is fine to leave them. Refrain from rinsing the peeled peppers—it dilutes the smoky flavor of the charred peppers. Halve the peppers, and open them flat on the work surface. Use the blade of a paring knife to remove the seeds and the hard seed cluster at the top. Remove the ribs. Slice each pepper according to recipe instructions.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.