And just like that, summer slipped away. Technically it’s still summer, but the signs are unmistakable: breath hangs in the morning air, cozy socks have resurfaced at the front of the drawer, scarves and jackets come down from storage, and the farmers’ market shifts toward pumpkins. This is autumn arriving.
My ever-optimistic husband reacts dramatically to the changing season, seeing fall’s palette as a reminder that time marches on. He mourns the end of long summer days the way some people mourn the end of a favorite season. I shouldn’t be too hard on him—he lives with a compulsive baker, and fresh bread can soothe many a melancholy.
For my part, I’m quietly delighted. I’ve dug out my fingerless gloves and wool hats for brisk morning walks and I’m relieved to no longer be sweating over canning pots. In fact, I’m increasing my canning efforts to tuck tastes of summer into jars that will warm us through the colder months—especially until my husband finally admits summer is gone and lights the wood stove.
*When he fires up the wood stove, it’s basically his admission that summer has passed.
Between jams and jellies, there’s one savory jar that best captures the essence of late-summer abundance: Roasted Red Pepper Spread. Those bright, ruby jars flecked with basil make any grey day feel sunnier. Open a jar and you’ll find the concentrated flavors of summer—silky, thick roasted red pepper purée balanced with tomatoes, garlic, onion, and red wine vinegar. Use it on fried eggs, spread it on toast, spoon it over pizza, or serve it as a dip (plain or blended into mayonnaise or soft cream cheese).
Tied with a simple gold, silver, or raffia ribbon and a gift tag, jars of this spread make stunning, tasteful holiday gifts: red, green, and full of flavor. The recipe below yields about five eight-ounce jars, and it’s easy to double or triple—especially if you plan to give jars away. Once you taste it, you’ll understand why you won’t want to part with many of them.
Roasted Red Pepper Spread
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 5 ¾ pounds sweet red bell peppers
- ¼ pound fresh cayenne peppers or other red hot peppers (use an extra ½ pound sweet peppers if you prefer no heat)
- 1 pound plum tomatoes
- 1 small onion, unpeeled and uncut
- 3 large cloves garlic, unpeeled and uncut
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, packed and thinly sliced (chiffonade)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (raw preferred)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler. Arrange the peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast under the broiler, turning frequently, until peppers are softened and blackened all over and tomatoes, onion and garlic show some charring. The more charred the peppers, the easier they are to peel. Transfer the peppers and tomatoes to a paper bag, fold the top closed and let cool about 15 minutes. Let the onion and garlic cool on a cutting board.
- When cool enough to handle, rub the skins from the peppers and tomatoes as best you can; a little skin left is fine. Remove stems and seeds from peppers, tear into strips and process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the pepper purée into a stainless steel stockpot and repeat with the tomatoes.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Add them and the remaining ingredients to the purees in the stockpot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Reduce to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, about 20 minutes, or until the spread mounds on a spoon.
- At this point you can refrigerate the spread, freeze it in single-serving portions, or proceed to can it for long-term storage.
To can the spread for long-term storage:
- Ladle the hot spread into prepared 8-ounce jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a stainless steel chopstick or butterknife and top up with hot spread if needed.
- Wipe rims with a damp cloth, apply lids and screw on rings fingertip-tight. Place jars on a rack in a canner, cover with hot water, bring to a full rolling boil with the lid on, and process for 10 minutes (15 minutes for pints). When complete, remove the canner lid, turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes before removing the jars to cool undisturbed.
- Once cool, remove rings, wipe jars clean, label and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutritional values using your specific ingredients if needed.
Here’s another great reason to make a batch: this spread is my current favorite quick breakfast. It brings bold, satisfying flavor to a simple fried egg served over toasted tortilla rounds.
Roasted Red Pepper Spread | Gardener’s Delight Eggs
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 flour tortilla, cut into quarters or rounds
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Red Pepper Spread
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh basil, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Crack the egg into the skillet near one edge. Place the tortilla rounds or wedges in the skillet and toast until lightly browned, then flip and toast the other side. Transfer to a serving plate.
- Cook the egg to your desired doneness, flipping once if you like. Slide the fried egg onto the toasted tortilla pieces, top with Roasted Red Pepper Spread and season with salt, pepper and optional basil.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate exact nutrition using your chosen ingredients if needed.