Peppers are a staple in Balkan cuisines. The variety of authentic recipes with peppers in cooking or salads in the region is impressive, but this recipe for Easy Marinated Sweet Peppers is my favourite of all. Marinated peppers are appetising, quick and easy to prepare. They are the perfect dish for garlic lovers!

Marinated sweet peppers are a wonderful vegan, gluten-free and Keto-friendly salad. They are easy to prepare and make a wonderful side dish to barbecued and roasted meat and poultry. This recipe is so versatile as you can use it for marinating almost any type of pepper. I make it with sweet long peppers, long Turkish peppers and chillies. 

HISTORY OF THE PEPPER.

Technically, the pepper is a fruit because it develops from the flower of the plant. Peppers are native to Mexico, Central America and South America. They are members of the nightshade family, which includes also potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant.

There are several theories about the etymology of the word pepper which refers to both the black pepper and the long pepper plant. Some claim the name is derived from the Sanskrit word pippali, while others believe comes from the Greek piperi. Both theories are right as the Greek piperi is derived from the Sanskrit word. The history of the name used for the chilli and long pepper plants today is linked to Columbus. At the time of his expeditions to the Americas, black pepper was so precious in Europe that it was used as currency. When Columbus’s ships arrived in nowadays West Indies, they believed they are in India and confused the chilli pepper plant with the black pepper calling it piperi which later was changed to pepper in the English language.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE PEPPERS.

Peppers are low in calories and are loaded with good nutrition. All pepper varieties are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid, and fibre. Plus, spicy peppers are a great way to make bland food more satisfying.

HOW TO MAKE SALAD WITH MARINATED SWEET PEPPERS?

📋 INGREDIENTS IN MY SWEET PEPPER SALAD

Peppers: In Bulgaria, we make this salad with red Kapia peppers. They come from the Capsicum Annum family of peppers. The red Kapia has bright red colour and distinctive sweetness. Although these peppers are not widely available in Western supermarkets, they can sometimes be found in international shops. A good substitute for Red Kapia is the Italian Romano pepper. They come from the same family and are cultivated in the Mediterranean, specifically in Italy and Spain. Romano peppers are widely available in the UK. Even though, they work in this recipe, they are not as meaty as the red Kapia.

Garlic: The recipe calls for lots of garlic. Garlic adds exciting piquant flavours to the marinade, making the peppers very appetising.

Vinegar: Traditionally, this recipe is made with red wine vinegar.  Red wine vinegar has a sharp tang to it and is perfect for vinaigrettes and marinades.

Parsley: Fresh parsley adds to the flavours with its earthy and fresh taste. Fresh dill can also work in this recipe but it has a very strong distinct taste that may not be to everyone’s taste.

📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Making this wonderful piquant salad is easy. First, grill the peppers to get beautiful smoky flavours. Remove the skins and marinate them. If you want to preserve the marinated pepper for longer, the methods are very similar to making the salad. You can see how to do that further down.

Step 1: GRILL the sweet peppers

Wash the peppers well. Use a gas or charcoal barbecue to char-grill the pepper. You can also roast the peppers in the oven at 180°C (356°F) for 30 minutes, or until their skin is slightly chargrilled and flaky.

Transfer the peppers straight out of the barbecue or the oven to a large bowl and cover them with a lid or plastic wrap to keep the moisture. Leave the peppers covered for 15 minutes. The skin will become softer and will be easier to peel them.

Use a knife to scrape the loose skin from the grilled peppers. Peeling the skin will allow the marinade to sink deeper into the peppers.

Prepare a bowl of water and rinse your hands while removing the pepper skins because they tend to stick to your fingers.

Step 2: MAKE THE marinade

Peel and press the garlic through a garlic press and chop the fresh herbs (parsley or dill). Place the pressed garlic, parsley and salt in a large bowl and pour the vinegar. Add gradually the oil and stir continuously to integrate it into the marinade.

STEP 3: MAKE THE SALAD

Layer the peppers inside a large bowl. Pour the marinade over them, cover them with a lid or plastic wrap and let the peppers soak in the marinade for at least 1-2 hours to absorb the flavours. You can then transfer the peppers onto a large flat plate to make the salad more presentable or serve them as they are in the bowl with the marinade. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the salad when serving it.

HOW TO MARINATE SWEET PEPPERS IN JARS?

The good news is that you can preserve marinated peppers and keep them handy in your pantry for busy days when you need to prepare a quick dinner. Canned marinated peppers will be good for up to one year if they have been processed.

prepare for canning

Prepare 495ml jars with screw-on lids.

Wash your hands well before canning and use clean utensils, towels, bowls and pots to avoid transferring bacteria. 

If using the water bath method to process marinated peppers, wash well and sterilise the jars that you will be using just before canning. Use new lids for the jars or sterilise used ones too.

For pressure canners, you do not have to sterilise the jars before packing but wash them really well.

STERILISE THE EMPTY JARS with the water bath method

Pour boiling water from your kitchen kettle into your canning pot. Using canning tongs, place the warm empty jars carefully in the boiled water with their opening facing down. This will make it easy to take the jars out of the canning pot later. Add more boiling water to the pot if needed and cover the jars and lids with at least 1 inch of water on top. Bring the water in the canning pot to a full boil. Cover the stockpot with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes from the moment the water reaches a full boil. If the water is boiling too vigorously, reduce the heat to a more gentle but still full boil. After 10 minutes turn the heat off.

Wait for 10-15 minutes for the water to cool and take the sterilised jars out with your tongs. Place all sterilised jars and lids upside down on a clean tea towel and cover them with another towel to prevent dust from landing on them.

Pack the peppers in the sterilised jars

Start packing the marinated peppers in the jars. If the jars are still too hot to handle, let them cool for 10-15 minutes before packing the peppers inside.

Place one layer of peppers in each jar and sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and a few large slices of chopped garlic on top. Continue layering the ingredients lid in this manner. Finally, pour the marinade over the peppers. Do not over-fill the jars, always leave a 1-inch (3cm) headspace. Secure the lids.

You can keep marinated peppers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in the jars without processing them (hermetically sealing the jars). However, if you want to store them for longer, you need to seal the jars. 

HOW TO PROCESS MARINATED PEPPERS IN A WATER BATH?

To seal the packed jars using the water-bath method, pour boiling water from your kitchen kettle into your canning pot. Lower the packed jars into the boiling water with tongs. If necessary, add more water to cover the packed jars with at least 1 inch of water on top. Place the canning pot on the hob and bring the water to a full boil. Cover with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes from the moment the water reaches a full boil. If the water is boiling too vigorously, reduce the heat until it comes down to a more gentle but full boil. After 10 minutes turn the heat off.

Carefully remove the jars from the hot water with your tongs. Arrange them upside down on a tea towel. We do that to make sure the lids stay sealed. Leave the jars of marinated peppers to cool overnight and store them in a cool place.

🍲 HOW TO USE SWEET MARINATED PEPPERS

Sweet marinated peppers are versatile and can be used in many different ways. They make a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meat served as a side dish and can also be added chopped to dips and salads.

I make a really good harrisa paste (North African pepper and tomato paste) with them which I use when I am roasting vegetables or chicken.

Enjoy! 👨‍🍳👨‍🍳👨‍🍳