Pepperonata all’Abruzzese

This is pepperonata, or pepper relish, in the style of Abruzzo, a region east of Rome that often uses peppers in cooking. It is a fantastic meze to have around—it has hardly any fat or calories, but it is so full of flavor that you may never want to eat jarred salsa again. I like to keep this in a glass jar in the refrigerator for a snack. You can put the pepperonata on a crisp piece of toasted baguette or a toasted pita wedge, or you can just eat it with a spoon. It’s that good. It also makes an excellent component of an antipasti platter, or it can be a topping for fish. To have more around, you can double this recipe.
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1⁄4-inch strips
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1⁄4-inch strips
- 1 jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
- 1 red chile, such as Thai, cherry bomb, or pepperoncino, cored, seeded, and minced
- 3 whole peeled plum tomatoes with their juice, crushed
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh oregano to taste
Instructions:
- Heat two small sauté pans on the stove, one on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the other on high heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- In the first pan over medium heat, cook the onions until they are moist and translucent, stirring occasionally.
- In the second pan over high heat, sear the red and green bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, and red chiles, stirring constantly until softened.
- When the peppers and chiles are cooked, add the tomatoes and toss for a minute, then remove this pan from the heat and set aside.
- When the onions are soft, add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Then add the cumin and coriander, stirring to combine. Stir in the tomato puree and cook 4 more minutes. Add the honey and vinegar.
- In a large bowl, combine the pepper mixture and the onion mixture, stirring until both mixtures are incorporated. Taste and add the salt, pepper, and oregano, according to what tastes good to you. Serve at room temperature as part of an antipasti platter or warm as a topping on fish. For variation, stir in chopped fresh basil just before serving.