INGREDIENTS
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper
olive oil for the peppers
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
12 Nicoise or Gaeta olives, pits removed (or olives of your choice)
3 scallions, finely sliced (both white and green parts)
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon marjoram, chopped
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Balsamic vinegar to taste
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bunch broccolini
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve the peppers lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds, and brush both sides with olive oil. Set them on a baking tray, skin side up and bake them until skins are wrinkled and lightly colored. When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins. Slice the peppers into strips ¼ – ½ inch wide, and mix them with the garlic, olive oil, capers, olives, scallions, parsley, marjoram, red pepper flakes, and the balsamic vinegar to taste. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. While it is heating, trim the stalks of broccolini, cutting off the dried ends with a paring knife. When the water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon salt, and cook broccolini in 2 – 3 separate batches for about 30 seconds. Scoop out each batch and set on a tea towel to drain.
3. Combine the broccolini with the rest of the ingredients and toss together. Taste for salt, add more vinegar or oil, if needed, and a grinding of black pepper. If you don’t plan to serve the salad right away, wait to add the final vinegar until just before to prevent the colors from fading.
Variations: Use lemon juice and finely slivered lemon peel instead vinegar. Sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced into strips, may also be added to this salad.
Serves 4 – 6