Early Autumn at Kirby's

We love Autumn at Kirby's! The colors, the smells, and the delicious flavors of Fall, are all filling our market right now.

Our first planting of Mums is in full bloom! Keep the color going all season with later varieties that bloom through October.

In Season

Homegrown: Apples, Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers, Broccoli, Beets, Kale, Turnips, Cabbage, Garlic, Tomatoes (Plum, Canning, Regular, Heirloom, Cherry, Grape), Pumpkins, Gourds, and Apple Cider

Locally Grown: Parsnips, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, Shiitake Mushrooms, Pears

Pumpkins!

Big and small, warty or smooth, yellow, orange, red, or white... create a beautiful pumpkin display with stacks, piles and rows of these amazing vegetables. Add perennial foliage plants for more texture and color.

Asters give the perfect pop of purple color to contrast with the warm tones of pumpkins and mums.

Apples!

 Honeycrisp, Autumn Crisp, Cortland, Macintosh, Gala, Blondee, Jonamac, and Gingergold

We have three different kinds of beets: Golden, which had a very mild, sweet flavor; Candy Cane, with beautiful red and white stripes; and regular Red Beets. Pickup a peck or half bushel to put up some beets today!

Candy Cane Beets

Find what you need at Kirby's to create an Autumn feast, or a simple dinner. Beets, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and turnips  - choose a few or all of the above and fill a pan for roasted fall vegetables. 

The end of September is the very peak of growing season, as the last remnants of summer overlap the beginnings of Fall. So much is ready now! Enjoy some lingering flavors of summer with Roasted Red Peppers and Roasted Tomatoes.  Browse our Recipe Index for more seasonal recipes.

Bartlett Pears, ready to eat!

Winter Squash Varieties: Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup, Delicata, Sweet Dumpling, and Pie Pumpkins.

Happy Fall! Hope to see you soon!

July Field Update

Early sour cherry variety.

Hello from the farm! The persistent rain this Spring is a continuing challenge. It slowed things down and delayed the harvest on Spring crops like peas, lettuce, and beets. And then, it shortened the strawberry crop! I don't mind waiting for peas, but I am disappointed that strawberries are already done here.

We've said good bye to Spring crops of Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Spinach - it's time to embrace Summer!

To help you keep up with the changing seasons, here's a loose prediction of what the next month or so will look like.

Peas, Regular and Edible Pod

: Right now we're in our third planting with one more to go. We should have peas for two more weeks (mid-July)!

Lettuce: Our fresh lettuce will be available until mid-July.

Zucchini and Summer Squash are here now and will be until at least the end of July.

Sour Cherries showed up at the end of June. There isn't a lot of the first variety, so they won't be around too long. Later varieties will be here in mid July, and should last about 2 weeks.

Sweet Cherries arrived on June 28th, and they'll be around just into the beginning of August.

Broccoli

Fresh broccoli crowns, available by the pound.

: our broccoli plantings are shaping up to be pretty epic this year, with a total of about 400,000 broccoli plants in the field.  We're in the first harvest right now! 

Recipes: 

Broccoli Soup, Broccoli Salad, and Roasted Broccoli

Coming Up:

Pickles

will start showing up in about two weeks.  We're doing a planting each week for the entire month of July, with the last one going in on August 1st. This means we should have a steady supply for all of August and well into September, if Mother Nature cooperates.

3,000 feet of Beets were planted two weeks ago. We're looking forward to having lots to pick in about six weeks!

In our next update, we'll have news on tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, and peaches.

Squash Bisque

This is a squash soup I put together one fall, with left over roasted squash. The parsnip adds a little complexity with a hint of spicy sweetness, but feel free to leave it out if you're not a fan of parsnips. For a non-dairy squash soup with more of an exotic flair, try our Curried Butternut Soup with Coconut.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• A good swirl of Olive Oil
• 1 cup Roasted Squash, mashed
• 1 small Parsnip, grated
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Half and Half
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider

Over medium hear, sautee onion in olive oil until golden. Add garlic and parsnip. Continue to cook for a minute, until the garlic is lightly golden. Pour in the chicken stock and apple cider. Stir in the squash and simmer 5 - 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to low and gently stir in the cream. Cook until heated through. Enjoy!

Serving suggestion: For a smoother soup, puree with an immersion blender, or carefully in a regular blender.

I made this for Christmas Eve dinner one year with a swirl of homemade creme fraiche on top. The end result was beautiful little bowls of elegant and earthy, savory with a little sweetness. Creme fraiche, which is kind of like a thin sour cream I guess,  is easy to make and it's fun having a delicious and unusual ingredient in the fridge.

Grilled Sweet Corn with Three Butters

Chili Butter:• 1/4 cup butter, softened • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce • 1 teaspoon sweet chili powder • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Lime Cilantro Butter• 1/4 cup butter, softened • 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice • 1/4 teaspoon lime zest • 1/4 teaspoon sugar • 3 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Lemon Herb Butter• 1/4 cup butter, softened • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest • 1 tablespoons each fresh, chopped basil, oregano and thyme • 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Grilled Corn: Heat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill to high. Peel back husks of corn, but do not remove. Remove all silk from corn and smooth husks back into place. Put each ear under running water to moisten the husk and place directly on grill. Grill, turning occasionally, until kernels soften and husks blacken, 10 to 12 minutes. Pull back husks and serve corn with 1 teaspoon flavored butter.

For each flavored butter: Using a spoon, mix butter with respective ingredients. Roll each into a log shape and wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate until firm, 2 to 3 hours, then soften to room temperature before serving.

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

Summer is incomplete without a plate full of grilled vegetables. If you don't have a grill handy, broiling works just as well. Based on a recipe from epicurious.com.  

Ingredients

• 3 large Zucchini and Summer Squash, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or basil, or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or pinch of dried, crumbled

Preparation: Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Brush zucchini and squash with olive oil.  Grill or broil until tender, about 4 minutes per side. Cut into large chunks, and toss with herbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Serve warm.

Variation: Combine all ingredients except zucchini and summer squash in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette and mix well. Add zucchini and summer squash, tossing to coat. Allow vegetables to marinate, refrigerated, for at least one hour before grilling.

Black Bean Pumpkin Chilli

This vegetarian chili is a great way to celebrate a cool Autumn day in Western New York.  The subtle sweet earthiness of the pumpkin is nicely offset by a good dose of spices, and complimented by a hint of the dark, sweet, flavor of chocolate. Ingredients:

2 Tblsp Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, chopped

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

1 sweet pepper, diced

1 large can of Tomatoes with juices

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 cup mashed or pureed Pumpkin

2 tsp Cumin

1 Tbsp Chili Powder

1 tsp oregano

2 Tbsp chocolate chips, or two squares of unsweetened chocolate (optional, but you should try it!)

In a 5 quart pot, sautee onion in olive oil until golden. Add  sweet peppers and garlic, continuing to cook until garlic is lightly golden.

Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, stir to combine, and then simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust thickness of soup by adding more tomatoes or chicken stock (if you're not making a vegetarian chili), a half cup at a time.

Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream, some grated cheddar, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.

Key West Strawberry Sorbet

Whip up this delicious sorbet in the blender for a super thick smoothy. For more of a traditional sorbet, use your ice cream maker or, if you don't have one of those contraptions, stick it in a sealed container in your freezer for about an hour. Ingredients

2 cups frozen strawberries

3 Tbsp sugar, honey, or maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut milk

Juice of half a lime

Put it all in the blender, and whirl away! Pour into small bowls or glasses, garnish with a wedge of lime or fresh strawberry, serve with a spoon, and enjoy!

Variation: for an adult version, add about 2 ounces of rum. 

Sour Cherry Sauce

Baking this sauce in the oven is a nice alternative to spending time at the stove, stirring it in a pot. Then you can do whatever you want with it! Pour it on ice cream, add it to plain yogurt (pictured below), pair it with a warm homemade biscuit - be creative! But honestly, I tend to eat it all by itself, as a refreshing sweet treat.

Ingredients

7 cups of sour cherries, frozen or fresh

2 Tblsp Cornstarch

1 Cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Blend Sugar and Cornstarch in an 8.5 x 11 glass baking dish.

Add cherries and stir to combine.

Place baking dish on the center rack of the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. The cherries are done when it's bubbly all around the edges and begins to bubble in the center as well. Juices should be clear and slightly thickened. It will thicken more into a soft gel as it cools. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Will keep in the fridge up to a week.

Note: this recipe was inspired by a similar recipe on epicurious.com, called "Roasted Cherries". I changed the cherry to sugar ratio dramatically, and it's still plenty sweet!

Kirby's Favorite Potato Soup

This recipe was given to us by an employee years ago. We've enjoyed it many many times since then, at family gatherings and as a simple dinner (with a giant salad!). It's a comforting, simple, potato soup that is absolutely delicious with Kutter's cheddar cheese grated on top. We usually make a giant pot by quadrupling the recipe.   

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 2-3 Tbsp of Butter
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 cups of Potatoes, cubed
• 2 cups Milk
• 3 Chicken Boullion Cubes

In a medium sized pot, sautee onions in butter until onions turn a light golden brown. Stir in flour. Gradually add water and stir until you create a paste and there are no lumps of flour. Continue adding water, stirring continually. Add potatoes, milk and boullion cubes. Simmer gently until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toppings: We usually keep it simple with cheddar cheese and maybe a little sour cream, but bacon, scallions, or chives would be a great idea too.

Individual Peach Crisps

Peach Crisp

• Canola-oil cooking spray
• 2 cups fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 3 tbsp rolled oats
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tsp canola oil
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 375°F. Coat four 4-oz ramekins or an 8”x8” pan with cooking spray. Combine peaches and vanilla in a bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients with hands until moist and crumbly. Spoon fruit mixture into ramekins or pan; scatter crumb mixture evenly over the top of each. Bake 15 to 20 minutes for ramekins, 20-30 minutes for pan, or until fruit bubbles and top is golden brown.

Topping freezes well for later use. 

Kale and White Bean Soup

This makes a wonderful early Fall meal with some sliced apple and cheddar!

2 cans white beans such as Great Northern 4 garlic cloves, minced 6 cups chicken broth 1 bay leaf 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa, sliced into bite-sized pieces 8 carrots, coarsely chopped 1 bunch kale 2 onions, coarsely chopped 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsps salt ½ tsp black pepper

Cook onions in oil in an 8 quart pot over moderatley low heat, stirring occasionaly, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beans, broth, salt, pepper, bay, rosemary, and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. While soup simmers, brown sausage (if using) in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Then stir carrots into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in kale and sausage and simmer uncovere, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Broccoli Salad

It's easy to add your own spin to this simple and delicious recipe. Toss in grated carrot, apple, raisins, or sunflower seeds, for a start! Or lighten it up a little by replacing half the mayo with yogurt.

1 Large Red Onion 1 Head Broccoli ½ lb Bacon ½ Cup Mayonnaise ½ Cup Sugar 2 Tblsp Cider Vinegar

Chop the head of broccoli into bite-sized florettes (coarsely grate the stem as well if you would like). Chop onion, then cook and crumble the bacon. Mix mayo, sugar, and vinegar in a bowl to make the dressing. Toss the broccoli, onion, and bacon in the dressing and refrigerate for two hours.

Melon Agua Fresca

Try this refreshing, cooling drink on a hot day!

• 1 cup cantaloupe, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup water
• ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup chilled club soda or seltzer

Purée cantaloupe in batches with water in a blender. Transfer to a colander lined with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) or fine cheesecloth set over a deep bowl and let drain 1 hour. Gather ends of towel and very gently squeeze any remaining juice from melon, then discard solids.

Stir in lime juice, sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt and chill 1 hour. Pour into a glass and top off with club soda. Garnish: lime wedges; melon slices.

Note: Drink, without club soda, can be made 4 days ahead and chilled. Add soda just before serving.

Simple Sauteed Asparagus

Growing up on the farm, asparagus was always boiled until tender, and then served with butter, salt, and pepper. Simple, pretty healthy, and nutritious! But I have to say, I didn't gain an appreciation for asparagus until I got older, and I think finding other ways to serve it helped. Even though boiled asparagus will always be the stand-by, my favorite way to cook it at the moment is tossed in a pan with some fresh garlic (or garlic scapes) and olive oil. Sometimes I'll add parmasean cheese, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce to switch it up. Ingredients:

• About 2 tsps Olive Oil or Butter
• 1 pound Asparagus
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced, or 2 Tbsp Garlic Scapes, minced
• Salt to taste

1. Rinse the asparagus thoroughly (it grows in the sandy soil by our farm market, and often grains of sand cling to it), then cut into one inch pieces.

2. In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.

3. Add minced garlic and asparagus. Stir to keep the garlic from sticking and cover with a lid. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: I've found that the water clinging to the asparagus helps to keep everything from drying out and sticking to the pan- sometimes I'll add a little more water and cover it with a lid as it cooks, to create steam.

Variations

• At the end, toss with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and  1/2 tsp of lemon zest.
• Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or grated parmasean cheese.
• Stir 2 tsps of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar into the cooked asparagus. 

If you have a favorite asparagus recipe, send it our way. We would love to try it out and share it!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

a slightly modified recipe from epicurious.com

• 1 quart tomatoes
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp salt, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 5 to 6 quarts water
• 14 to 16 ounces spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping pasta (optional)

Peel the tomatoes, if desired, by blanching the tomatoes in boiling water, then chop tomatoes coarsely.

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sweet pepper, and cook until the garlic barely begins to color.

Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook over moderately high heat for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes look cooked and moist but not all the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For a smooth sauce, blend the cooked tomatoes in a food processor with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and return the sauce to the skillet. For a chunky sauce, add the remaining oil before serving.

Bring 5 to 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons salt and the spaghetti; cook until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around three quarters of the cooking time.

Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Add the drained al dente pasta, 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, and the basil to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Cook over high heat, stirring to mix sauce and pasta, until the pasta is cooked. Add more pasta water if the sauce becomes too dry. Serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano if desired

Marinated Eggplant, with Variations

Not only does eggplant look and feel spongy, it also acts like a sponge, soaking up and holding onto whatever flavors you marinate or cook it in. Try using Indian, Thai or Mexican spice combinations for something that tastes completely different! Email us for suggestions.

• 1 large or two small eggplant 
• 1 Tablespoon chopped herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, thyme)
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 ½ Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 clove minced garlic

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Whisk all ingredients except the eggplant in a large bowl.
3. Wash the eggplant, then trim off a 1/2” s1ice on both ends. Slice thinly (about 1/4”) crosswise. Toss eggplant slices with the balsamic mixture and allow to marinate for at least twenty minutes.
4. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
5. Place under broiler and cook for about five minutes, until the eggplant is slightly browned.
6. Flip and brown on the other side, about five minutes longer, until tender

You now have delicious, tender eggplant ready to add flavor to a variety of dishes!

Variations:

Try it on a sandwich with fresh (or roasted) tomato, basil and mozzarella! Be sure to use a really excellent loaf of crusty bread. Rub each slice of bread with garlic and drizzle with balsamic for some extra flavor. I bet this eggplant sandwich would be really good grilled or smooshed in a panini press.

Greek Salad (inspired by Aladdin’s in Rochester): One of my favorite meals of all time is a Greek salad with marinated eggplant. Top fresh greens with red pepper, cucumbers, olives, feta and some freshly broiled eggplant. Drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve with toasted pita. Yummmm!

Healthy Eggplant Parm: On a lightly oiled baking sheet, top each eggplant slice with 1 Tablespoon marinara and 1 Tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 for ten minutes, until heated through. Alternatively, layer the eggplant, sauce, and cheese in a baking dish and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, until it gets bubbly and heated through.

Tip #1: Here is a great way to make jarred sauce taste a little closer to homemade. Take your favorite jar of marinara, add 1 cup diced Plum Tomatoes and 1 clove minced or 2 cloves of roasted garlic. Simmer for about twenty minutes. Toss in a tablespoon of fresh basil near the end.

Tip # 2: You should probably make a trip to Rochester Public Market, the very best place to get cheese. You can get your kalamata olives, feta, mozzarella and Parmesan from the lovely people in blue aprons (A Shed) for much less then you would pay in the store. There is also an AMAZING bakery next to Java's (at the North End) called Flour City Bakery. The best bread I ever bought. Be sure to stop at our stalls 49A & 51A – to say hi to Ted! Now you're all set to put together some incomparable meals with the very best ingredients around.

PS: Can you tell I love eggplant? Please feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions! I'm always looking for new ways to cook up this beautifully alien looking vegetable, so I would love to hear about your favorite recipes.

Swiss Chard with Onions and Garlic

• 1 bunch Swiss Chard
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 large or 2 small onions
• 1 Tblsp Olive Oil

1. Begin browning onions in olive oil.
2. Remove chard stems from leaves. Cut the stems into one inch pieces and slice the leaves into bite sized pieces. After the onions have begun to brown, add the swiss chard stems to the pan and saute over medium heat with one clove of minced garlic.
3. When the stems become crisp-tender, add the greens with a little water. Cover, and continue cooking until the greens and stems are tender, about fifteen minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Season with salt and pepper, serve & enjoy!

Variation: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a ¼ tsp of minced fresh ginger to the pan with the garlic. Stir ¼ cup of plain yogurt into the cooked swiss chard.

There are many ways to enjoy the benefits of swiss chard . Some of our customer's enjoy swiss chard steamed and dressed with vinegar or lemon, sauted with tomatoes and bacon, or added to soups, casseroles, and pasta.

Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

One of Jaime (Kirby) Brennan's favorite recipes. It's a great way to enjoy the health benefits of Swiss Chard in harmony with a variety of flavors. Enjoy!

3 tbsp oil 1 bag red lentil 1 carrot peeled 1 stalk celery 1 medium onion 4 cloves garlic

2 tsp curry 1 tsp tumeric 8 cups vegetable stock 1 sprig rosemary 2 tsp sea salt 2 cups chopped swiss chard

1. In a pot add oil and saute all vegetables except swiss chard.

2. Add red lentils and all the other ingredients cook on the stove for 20 minutes.

3. Place into blender and puree for 20 seconds on high speed.

Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted tomatoes are a particular obsession of mine. The caramelized, sweet, flavor of a roasted tomato is just amazing. I hope you try it out before the homegrown tomatoes are gone for another season, you'll be glad you did! Plum tomatoes work best (especially San Marzanos) but any tomato will work. I like my roasted tomatoes to be almost chewy, so I'll leave them in until they get to just the right amount of roasted. Sometimes I'll pour off juice to speed things along.(Tossing a head or two of garlic into the mix is always a good idea too!) Roasting as many tomatoes as I can get my hands on and stashing them in the freezer, is an important project every summer.

 Roasted Tomatoes from epicurious.com

A long turn in the oven gives these juicy plum tomatoes good caramelization, lending sweetness to their robust flavor.

• Olive oil for greasing pan plus additional for drizzling (optional)
• 6 large plum tomatoes (1 1/2 lb), halved lengthwise
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a shallow baking pan.

Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in 1 layer in pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast tomatoes until skins are wrinkled and beginning to brown on bottom, about 1 hour. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm, covered with tented foil (do not let foil touch tomatoes), until ready to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cooks' note:Tomatoes can be roasted 2 hours ahead and cooled completely, then kept, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature. Reheat in shallow baking pan in a preheated 350°F oven until tomatoes are heated through, about 10 minutes.

A Few Serving Suggestions:

• Toss roasted tomatoes and garlic in a blender with some olive oil and fresh basil. Instant sauce!
• Create a different kind of capris salad with roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
• Replace your usual tomato ingredient in penne alla vodka with roasted tomatoes for an extra punch of flavor.
• Layer cheddar and roasted tomatoes between rustic bread for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.
• Top a pizza crust with chopped roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella, then bake!
• Toss with roasted broccoli, roasted red peppers, and roasted garlic and serve with pasta.

Roasted Peppers

Have you ever tried roasting peppers? It's simple. Instead of buying an expensive jar at the store, make them in your own kitchen and then freeze for later. They're delicious as a salad topper, in pasta dishes, sauces, soups and on sandwiches!

Roasted Red Peppers

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss peppers with enough olive oil to coat lightly.
• Transfer peppers to large rimmed baking sheet. Roast peppers until partially charred, turning every 10 minutes, about 50 minutes. (This is important! I always have a hard time waiting until all of the skin is black. And this makes peeling the skin off a challenge, since any little bit of skin that isn't charred doesn't want to come off, while all the charred bits come off so easily.)
• Transfer peppers to reserved bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cool 15 minutes. Peel and seed peppers over bowl.

Note: Traditionally, peppers are roasted whole, but some people cut them into sections and roast them skin side up. This way, you don't have to turn them, just take them out when the skin is blackened. Also, try roasting other colors, including green, for different flavors. They won't be as sweet, but still so delicious!