Roasted Bell Pepper Spread (Vegetable Caviar) for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather your ingredients. Wash the bell peppers, cut out the stems and seed cores, cut each pepper into two or three pieces, and lay them in a baking dish (no need to oil the dish).

2. Step 2:

   

   Roast the peppers at about 375°F (190°C) for around 20 minutes. Don't let them brown, or they'll give the spread a bitter edge.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the tomatoes, cut out the stem ends, and cut the flesh into large pieces. Big, meaty tomatoes that aren't suited to whole-canning work great here. If the skins are tough, slip them off first by dropping the tomatoes into a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Purée the tomatoes in a blender or run them through a meat grinder.

4. Step 4:

   

   Wash, peel, and grate the carrots.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel the onions and cut them into small dice.

6. Step 6:

   

   Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it. Sauté the onions until translucent, then add the carrots and cook them together, stirring now and then, until the carrots are soft.

7. Step 7:

   

   Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a heavy-bottomed pot, along with the roasted peppers and the tomato purée. Add the garlic (pressed or finely grated), the salt, and a piece of the hot chili. Set it over the heat; once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring now and then, for 20 minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Blend the mixture smooth with an immersion blender. Pour in the white vinegar, return it to the heat, and cook for another 5 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Spoon the bell pepper spread into clean, sterilized jars and seal the lids right away. Let the jars cool under a blanket at room temperature, then store them in a cool place. Enjoy!