Broccoli with Roasted Peppers, Capers, and Olives
(from The Greens Cookbook, by Deborah Madison, [Bantam, New York, 1987])
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper |
1 clove garlic, finely chopped |
light olive oil, for the peppers |
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes |
½ teaspoon marjoram |
3 scallions, finely sliced |
1 tablespoon capers |
sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced |
12 pitted black olives |
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped |
Balsamic vinegar to taste |
1 ½ to 2 pounds broccoli |
salt and pepper to taste |
Preheat the oven to 400F. Halve the peppers lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds, and brush both sides with the light olive oil. Set them on a baking tray skin side up and bake them until the skins are wrinkled and lightly colored. When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins. Slice the peppers into strips ¼ to ½ inch wide, and mix them with the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, capers, olives, scallions, parsley, marjoram, red pepper flakes, and the balsamic vinegar to taste. Season with salt.
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. While it is heating, divide the broccoli into florets of equal size. Trim the stalks by cutting off the tough, dried ends and removing the thick fibrous skins with a paring knife. Slice the stalks diagonally into pieces about ¼ inch wide. When the water is boiling, add a tablespoon of salt, and cook the broccoli in two or three separate batches for about 30 seconds. Scoop out each batch and set it in a colander or on a tea towel to drain.
Combine the broccoli and the sun-dried tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients and toss them together. Taste for salt, add more oil or vinegar, if needed, and a grinding of black pepper. If you don’t plan to serve the salad right away, wait to add the final vinegar until just before serving to prevent the colors from fading.