Char-Roasted Red Peppers

Preheat the grill to high heat. Just before grilling, very lightly coat the peppers with olive oil. Alternatively, the peppers can be roasted in 500°F (260°C) oven or cooked under the broiler. When cooking the oven, the oil is not necessarily needed, so feel free to omit, if desired. Once the grill is hot, place the peppers onto the grill and close the lid. Let cook for a few minutes until the one side starts to char. Then rotate and continue to cook—with the lid closed. Keep turning and cooking until the peppers are charred all over. This should take around 15 to 20 minutes. Once done, remove and let sit, until cool enough to handle. Note: When you remove the peppers from the grill, check to see if they feel quite firm. If so, place them into a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap to sweat. Not only will this continue to cook them, but it will also make them easier to peel. At this point, you could jump ahead and make the vinaigrette. Once the peppers have cooled, peel off the skin and remove the seeds and core. Slice or tear the peppers into approximately 1/2"- inch strips. Place the peppers into a medium bowl. Season with a bit of sea salt and toss to combine.

In a small pot or fry pan, heat the oil, garlic and chili flakes. As soon as the garlic starts to brown, remove the pan from the heat. Off the heat, carefully add the vinegar—it will splatter a bit when it hits the hot oil, so be careful. Set aside to cool. Note: Sherry vinegar works well for this recipe; however, white wine or champagne vinegar will also work.

To finish the dish, mix together the peppers and vinaigrette and gently toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding a bit of finishing salt and/or freshly ground black pepper, if needed.