I had a hard time generating enthusiasm for this week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie: Roasted Peppers. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, they are delicious. It’s just that I regularly roast peppers, so it wasn’t the most exciting recipe for me.

On the positive side, I usually broil them. Ever the rule-follower, I tried Dorie’s “new to me” method of roasting them in a hot oven instead. Mary’s commented during the week that she had to crank the oven up from the recommended 425F to 500F. I took that to heart and started at 450F, figuring that if the first side of peppers wasn’t charring when it was time to turn them, I could turn it up further. My selected temperature worked like a charm. I’m not sure what would have happened at the recommended lower temperature, but at 450F, turning the peppers every 15 minutes, my peppers were done after 45 minutes.

The roasted peppers rest in a covered bowl until they are cool enough to handle. I used the foil that lined the baking sheet, but usually I use a plate as a cover. Then, the charred skin is scrapped off, and the seeds and membranes removed from the insides. As the pepper are tidied up, they tear themselves into natural pieces.

The pepper strips are layered into a dish, sprinkled with salt and pepper and herbs (in my case, simply parsley) and then doused with fruity olive oil. Voila!

The roasted peppers made the perfect addition to our “grazing” dinner, or indoor picnic, alongside sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, beet salad, and the sweetest of summer corn.

To see what my French Friday friends thought of their peppers, follow their links here. To try it yourself, you can find the recipe here or in Dorie Greenspan’s bookAround My French Table.

Have a great weekend! I’ll be admiring the view of the lake here at our cottage in Maine. Can you hear Mama and Baby Loon calling?