How To Make Peperonata - A Stewed Pepper Side Dish

Peperonata is an Italian dish made up of stewed tomatoes and peppers with onion or shallot and garlic. Common peppers used are bell peppers. However, I love the flavor of mini sweet peppers, so I use those instead. For some added heat, chuck in some spicy peppers…habanero, ghost, serrano, jalapeno etc.

Delicious when used as a side or to accompany meat. My favorite is a pan seared pork rib chop, click here for the recipe

Ingredients:

16 Mini Sweet Peppers

1 Shallot

5 Cloves Garlic

2 Heirloom Tomatoes

1-2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

1/4 C Oil

1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tsp Sugar, As Needed

Splash Beef Stock

1/2 Tbsp Salt

2 Tsp Black Pepper

Tools needed:

Cutting board

Sharp knife

Measuring cups and spoons

Medium size stock pot with lid

How to make it:

Slice the peppers and shallot into thin julienne strips. I remove the seeds from the peppers since they may add a slight bitterness to the dish. Thinly slice the garlic and rough chop the tomatoes. Pick the leaves off the thyme and keep the leaves whole.

Place oil in the stock pot and add in the peppers with a pinch of salt. Stir to get the peppers and salt mixed together. Turn on the heat to medium low and cook the peppers for a few minutes until they soften. Once they start to soften, add the shallots with another pinch of salt. Sweat the shallots until they turn translucent, takes around 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook off the rawness, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the beef stock, vinegar, tomatoes and thyme to the pot. Turn up the heat to medium high to bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Keep at a low simmer for 23-30 minutes or until all ingredients are very soft.

Once cooked, taste the peperonata to see if it needs any sugar. Depending on natural flavor of the peppers and tomatoes, they may have a slight bitterness and the sugar helps balance the bitterness out. Adjust the seasoning if desired and let cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. The flavors will build and get better the next day or 2 and will keep for about 7 days.

I love peperonata on pork and this pan seared pork rib chop is amazing with it served on top. It plays well off the natural flavors of the pork and helps give the pork a nice boost of juiciness and moisture. Peperonata can be used as a “sauce” to accompany meats of all kinds, pork just happens to be my favorite.

Enjoy!

Logan