Roasting Peppers

To be honest, I like growing peppers in my garden because they are beautiful.  I have a very compact garden too, so I can't be one of those people who plant a whole "row" of green bell pepper plants.  I actually hate the taste of green bell peppers anyway, and I think they ruin every dish they come into contact with, so that's not going to happen.  Just my opinion.  

That being said, I really do like the color and heat of other sorts of peppers (except jalapenos, which I have been known to joke are the "white trash of peppers".)

Peppers from my garden

Here are the peppers from my garden (along with 4 jalapenos--"WTPs" from a co-worker's garden--no offense.)  I have from left:  chilis, mexibells, anaheims, and bananas.  Of the bunch, the skinny ones "chilis" are the hottest, the banana peppers are the mildest. 

I decided that since I have so many peppers right now, and the garden is nearly finished producing, I'm going to roast these and freeze them for later use.  It's nice to just add them to dishes later, and the roasting helps give them a sweeter taste.  

It's the same thing I would do to cook with a fresh pepper, but I'm saving myself the time later on.  Plus, I like being able to use something home grown in the middle of winter.  

Step 1:  Wear gloves!!!

Seriously.  

Wear gloves when working with any hot peppers. 

It doesn't matter if they are habaneros or banana peppers, the oils are very difficult to wash away and can seep into your skin and cause a lot of discomfort.  Or, if you wear contacts like me, putting them in/taking them out with peppers on your hands feels like fire in your eye.  There's a reason pepper spray works.

Just wear the stupid gloves, OK?

Slice the peppers lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds into the trash or a garbage bowl.  Another warning:  you can breathe in the capsacin particles.  You will know it when you do.  Just don't stand over the bowl and inhale and you should be fine.  My bowl got pretty full since I scooped out so many peppers, so the air got pretty hot.  I opened up a window for extra ventilation.  That helped.

Now that I have all of the peppers scooped out, I'm ready to roast them.  I could do them separately, but I am going to just mix them together.  It's a pepper medley.  So pretty.

I put them on a lightly oiled pan.  I used grapeseed oil, but use any oil you like.  

The oven should be at 350 degrees.  I also drizzled a little more oil on the tops of the peppers.   In order to flatten out the cupped-shaped mexibell peppers, I just cracked them open like I was opening a book and laid them on the pan.  

I started everything skin-side down.

Roast for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, then turn over and continue for another 30 minutes.

Look at how pretty they are!

Finished product.

After the peppers have cooled, I put a pepper mixture into these little "snack" size ziploc bags and store them in the freezer.  

When I'm cooking and want to add some heat, I get out one of the baggies and just chop up what I need and put the bag back in the freezer.  I have plenty to last me all winter long and never had to make boring old salsa!