Although Spanish cuisine is not as well known as Italian, it has many interesting dishes, of which this starter of Spanish bell pepper confit is one.
COOKING INVOLVES HIGH HEAT. So always take great care and keep children well away.
Spanish Bell Pepper Confit -The Receipe (serves two)
I lb or 1/2 kilo of bell peppers
2 oz or 50g anchovies
2 eggs
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and black pepper to season
Olive oil
8 leaves of basil
Halve and de-seed the bell peppers and place on a baking tray under a broiler until the skins are blackened.
When they have cooled somewhat, peel off the skins.
Place on a baking tray and sprinkle on sea salt and black pepper. Peel and slice the garlic cloves very thinly and sprinkle over the peppers. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Bake in the oven at 80c (150f) for 30 minutes and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs and then shell and quarter them.
Plate up the peppers and serve with the hard boiled eggs, cut into quarters and strips of anchovies.
Finish off by sprinkling the fresh basil leaves over the dish.
Spanish Bell Pepper Confit – the health benefits
Bell peppers are crammed with vitamin C and placing them under heat to blacken the skins, drives off some of the moisture and intensifies the flavor, much like with sun-dried tomatoes.
Garlic is one of the super foods. It is anti-fungal as well as reducing the levels of blood fat and cholesterol and the tendency for the blood to clot.
Adding olive oil enhances this wonderful mixture of health-giving foods even further by raising the levels of “good” cholesterol.It is also rich in the anti-oxidant vitamin E and the vital mineral, selenium.
The anchovies, with their Omega 3 fish oil and valuable minerial selenium, complete this healthful package.
And, finally, the eggs — which should be from free-range chickens for best flavor and nutrients.
Many people shun eggs on the ground they contain cholesterol. This is true, but all nutrition is a matter of balance and the advantages of eggs outweigh the cholesterol factor, because they contain a rare B complex vitamin: choline — found in eggs and liver. Low levels of choline can lead to liver dysfunction as well as important changes in the brain. Choline converts to a brain cell transmitter, acetylcholine, low levels of which have been linked to loss of memory and even Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, eggs are a source of Vitamin D, which can be useful in the dark days of winter, when you cannot get you full quota of sunshine to make your own Vitamin D.
I hope you enjoy your delicious Spanish bell pepper confit.
