SALADA FELFLA (Moroccan red pepper puree, for 6 to 8)

6 red bell peppers

2 garlic cloves

4 to 5 tablespoons vinegar or the juice of 1-1/2 lemons

pinch ground chili pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

peel of ½ preserved lemon, chopped

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1.  Preheat the oven to 475*.  Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds and inner membranes and place them cut side down on a foil lined jelly roll pan. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and their skins are blistered and blackened.   

2.  To loosen the skins further, put them into a strong plastic bag, twist it shut, and leave for 10 to 15 minutes.  Another old way that has the same effect is to put them in a pan with a tight fitting lid for the same length of time.  When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel them.

3.  Blend the peppers to a puree in the food processor with the garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, chili, cumin, olive oil and a little salt to taste.

4.  Put the puree into a serving bowl and mix in the chopped parsley, cilantro and preserved lemon peel.  Serve it as a dip or to accompany fish (see hout bil felfla, Moroccan pan-seared tuna steaks with red bell pepper sauce).

adapted from Claudia Roden, Arabesque