POVRON E BAGNA CAUDA
Roasted Late Summer Peppers with a Hot Red Wine and Anchovy-Garlic Bath
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 each sweet (bell) Peppers (red and yellow)
- ½ cup Red wine
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and microplaned or minced
- 12 anchovies preserved in olive oil, drained and chopped
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- Basil Leaves
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Put ½ cup olive oil in a pan with the garlic and anchovies and cook over a low heat, stirring, until anchovy has melted and the garlic is soft and a light golden color. Everything should begin to meld together. Add red wine and let it reduce until almost gone. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of butter, and as soon as it has melted, remove from the heat and give a few more beats of your whisk so that everything is creamy and amalgamated. Taste, and if you feel you want this dipping sauce -- which is meant to be pungent but not acrid -- a little more mellow, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Set aside an keep warm.
- Cut bell peppers into long strips and remove seeds. Toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a sheet pan and place in a 450F oven. Roast until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. The peppers should still have some crunch.
- Place the peppers on a serving platter, tear about 10 basil leaves and scatter over the peppers. Drizzle generously with the "hot bath" and serve with remainder on the side.
