Calabrese Salad
- 1 pound russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 Italian frying peppers (also called banana peppers and Cubanelles), preferably 5 inches or longer
- 12 plump garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- A bowl for mixing and serving the salad; a heavy-bottomed skillet or saute pan, 12-inch diameter or wider
- Put the potatoes in a pot with water to cover them by about 2 inches, and heat to a steady boil.
- Cook just until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork or sharp knife blade (dont let them get mushy), then drain and cool them.
- Peel off the skins, cut the potatoes crosswise into round slices about 1/3 inch thick, and put them in the salad bowl.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into the big skillet, and set over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, put the whole peppers in it and cook for a couple of minutes, until theyre sizzling and starting to color on one side, then turn them and brown the other side.
- Keep turning and moving the peppers around so they cook and color evenly.
- After 5 minutes, when the peppers have been turned a couple of times and are sizzling nicely, scatter the garlic cloves in between them.
- Now lay another, smaller skillet or a heavy pot cover on top of the peppers, and press down for more thorough browning.
- Cook for another 5 minutes or more, rotating the peppers a couple of times, until they are browned and blistered on all surfaces.
- Remove from the heat, and let the peppers cool for a few minutes, with the weight still in place.
- When the peppers can be handled, cut off the stems, peel off the skin, slice them open, and scrape out the seeds.
- Slice them lengthwise in strips about 1 inch wide; if the peppers were very long, cut the strips crosswise into nice lengths for eating, 3 inches or so.
- Assemble and dress the salad while the pepper strips are still warm (though it is also good at room temperature).
- Put the pepper pieces and the onion slices in the bowl with the potatoes, and sprinkle the salt and peperoncino over them.
- Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the vinegar on the vegetables, and toss well.
- Serve right away.
potatoes, extravirgin olive oil, italian frying peppers, garlic, red onion, kosher salt, peperoncino flakes, redwine vinegar, mixing
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/calabrese-salad-372372 (may not work)