Roasted Peppers Salad with Preserved Lemons, Green Onions and Cilantro
After my baby girl was born, many neighbors and friends turned to us with offers of dinners. I was beyond appreciative of the thoughtfulness, that someone would take the time and effort to feed my family and give me the gift of more moments cuddling my baby was heartwarming. But I declined all of them. I couldn’t bear knowing that most of the time it won’t get eaten and I couldn’t submit requests to accommodate picky eaters. I’d rather just put together something simple yet reliable. Also my mom was around helping tremendously, so we took turns with dinner duty. I did mention my pregnancy was difficult so once baby was out, I was looking forward to getting back into task. The process truly brings me joy.
Despite my insistence, my upstairs neighbor skipped offering and basically showed up with BBQ chicken that ironically my kids loved and, as if coordinated, came on a night I really needed it. My next door neighbor treated me one morning to a plateful of oatmeal cookies. And one Friday, our Rav’s wife sent over a container of what I thought was a simple roasted pepper salad. But then I tasted it and my eyes widened in excitement. It had a few kinds of peppers with assertiveness of spicy chile pepper making a loud statement. You know I go crazy for that. And it had the unmistakable pop only preserved lemons could offer. I was hooked. I made my own variation: an extra dose of cilantro, a handful of green onions, and good glug of olive oil. I’ll admit I hoard it at the Shabbat table. There’s something about the combination of flavors that makes it a party in your mouth.
Roasted Peppers Salad with Preserved Lemons, Green Onions and Cilantro
Ingredients
3 bell peppers, various colors
3 chile peppers
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the oven on broil. Place the bell peppers and chile peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the upper third of the oven until charred. Carefully rotate the peppers every few minutes so all sides get roasted. Keep an eye out on the chile peppers since they cook faster. Transfer to a bowl and cover immediately. The steam helps the skin loosen and makes it easier to peel. Once cool, peel and slice the peppers. Transfer to a bowl and add the green onions, preserved lemon, garlic, and cilantro. Season with EVOO, salt and pepper.