And She Ate the Pepper, Raw

I used to work in the basement of a converted townhouse for a political polling firm. My co-worker and friend Ruth used to visit me around 11 am; that’s when she took a snack break. She’d bring a knife, a plate and one green bell pepper.

She’d cut a slice. Eat it raw. One whole green pepper.

That was years ago, right when I started playing around in the kitchen. I never cooked with bell peppers because I would just think of Ruth and that raw, raw pepper. I thought of peppers as a snack. Soon I realized peppers turn into wonderful things once cooked, once broiled, once roasted, once whizzed around in a blender and turned into a sauce.

Roasted Yellow Pepper and Almond Sauce

Broil 3 yellow peppers until completely blackened. Shove into tupperware to steam, which loosens the skin. Slide the charred off to reveal a soft pepper. Let go of the seeds and add the pepper into a blender with 2 or 3 smashed garlic cloves, a handful of flat-leaf parsley, 2 or 3 tablespoons of toasted, then ground, roasted almonds. If they’re pre-salted, watch how much more to add in, add pepper for sure and a few spins around of oil. You don’t need too much, as the pepper and almond should really dominate the body of the dip-like sauce.

Use the sauce over sauteed Brussels sprouts with butter beans and bulgur wheat, or whatever you’d like.

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6 comments

  • BS November 3, 2011  

    My dad has been known to eat green bell peppers raw and whole, biting into them like an apple.

  • gansie November 3, 2011  

    wow. is that like a thing? weird.

    also – this is more like a pesto, than a sauce i guess. just an fyi.

  • BS November 3, 2011  

    definitely not a thing

  • RMS November 3, 2011  

    eating raw peppers IS a thing!

  • Emily November 3, 2011  

    Yeah. I have to say, I don’t like it (raw peppers, esp green – yuck! Too much.) but it IS a thing. I know lots of people who eat peppers raw, and they seem to like it. Different strokes…

  • EvoDiva November 3, 2011  

    I eat them raw in my house when I have them. But usually only a few slices at a time. Analogous to baby carrots as a snack but they’re also often a vehicle for a dip. This sounds amazing though and love it over Brussels sprouts!

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