Roasting Bell Peppers

Gary Sims Asks...
John Meyn
Doug Essinger-Hileman
Elise van Looij
Jim Klein
Joe Pomis
John Marmet
Lee Ann Roberts
Kyle Lerfald

Gary Sims Asks...
I saw a widget in the Williams-Sonoma catalog for grilling bell peppers on a stovetop. Now I wonder. A couple of recipes I checked using Google just say "grill the buggers, peel them and eat." I suppose that's plausible since they taste well enough raw, and I'll figure out how to peel a burning hot vegetable somehow I suppose, but... Would it not be usual to put some olive oil or spices on them before cooking? Or after peeling and as part of the presentation?
Any suggestions? Or I am gilding a lily in trying something like that?

John Meyn
The easiest way is to use a propane torch, no, don't laugh, many top chefs use this method. Don't add any oil, it will catch fire.
After a few minutes wielding the torch, allow the peppers to cool for a few moments and then the skin will peel off easily.

Doug Essinger-Hileman
The recipes you are talking about are creating the classic pimento. For the overwhelming majority of Americans, I suspect, the most common encounter with a pimento is as the common stuffing in a green olive. But pimento is but a red sweet bell pepper.
John Meyn has already given you some good advice on how to char the peppers: use a blowtorch. If anyone is scoffing, even after John's counsel, I encourage them to watch "Iron Chef" on the Food Network. There you will see world-class chefs using blowtorches of various sizes, most often the "standard" handheld size plumbers use in the US, to accomplish a variety of tasks, including grilling the sugar on top of creme bruleé.
If you would like to try something less handyman-looking, put the top rack in your oven at its uppermost position and turn on the broiler. Put the peppers on the rack directly under the heating elements or flames. If you like to keep the bottom of your oven as clean as possible, put a baking sheet or other type of catch basin on the rack below the peppers. Every couple of minutes, as the skin of the peppers blacken -- yes, let it char black, not just brown -- rotate the peppers so that a goodly portion of the skin is blackened.
If you would like to add a smoky flavor to the pepper, char them on a charcoal grill. Though "upside down," the procedure is the same as for charring them under the broiler.
As John has mentioned, don't coat the peppers with any oil. Once they are charred, put the peppers in a brown paper bag (or some other container that will let them "steam" themselves for a bit). Sandy and I keep a supply of "lunch bags" in the house specifically for this purpose. After a couple of minutes, the peppers will have cooled and the skins pulled away from the flesh. Peeling become very easy at that point.
Once the peppers are peeled, your idea of drizzling some olive oil on the peppers is one of the classic treatments, so not gilding the lily. For this, use the most delightful extra-virgin olive oil you can find.
In one of the tapas cookbooks we have, there is a recipe which we have made often for a salad of roasted bell peppers. We like to use peppers of all three "standard" colors (green, red and yellow). For this recipe, when they are ready to peel, hold the peppers over a bowl and poke a hole in the bottom of the pepper to collect the juices. Peel the peppers, cut the peppers in half, then remove the stem, core and seeds (and internal ribs if you find them to be too bitter). Then cut the peppers along their length into thin strips.
To the reserved juices of the peppers, add wee little bits of olive oil and sherry vinegar, a clove or two of garlic and a pinch of sugar (if desired) and whisk together to make a vinaigrette. The quantities you use will vary according to your own preferences and how many peppers you used. One or two tablespoons of dressing per pepper is usually enough. For a classic vinaigrette, the proportion of oil to vinegar is 2-1. I like a "sharper" vinaigrette, so often use 1-1.
To serve, arrange the pimento strips on a plate or in a shallow bowl, and top with some good black olives, perhaps a tablespoon or two of capers, a couple of tablespoons of marjoram or oregano, and the vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.

Elise van Looij
What's this unreasonable prejudice against pepper skins? Thinly slice a clove or two of garlic, mix with some marjoram and olive oil. Slice your bell peppers in half, rub them with a bit of oil and stuff them with the garlic-marjoram mixture and some cherry tomatoes (prick the skin first--if you must you can throw them in some cooking water and peel them, but again, what's wrong with a bit of skin?). Season with pepper and salt and heat them until they look like they're done -- personally I like them al dente.

Jim Klein
Ah the skin of the American Pepper.
When raw, it's not too bad, but cook the little devil, and all sorts of nasty smells and tastes arise.
I first noticed these characteristics on the streets of Greenwich Village in NYC, from the sausage stands lining Bleecker and MacDougall Streets. It took me a long time to figure out what exactly was my problem.
Notice the pepper dishes coming from the galleys of the best ships, and you'll notice the cooked ones all use peeled peppers.
Other lissuns have explained the pepper-roasting, cleaning, and flavoring process.
As suggested be wary of the W-S pepper roaster, even though it's sold by my wife's company. Little bits are sure to drop onto your burner and make a mess. The oven-roast and bag-steaming method is the one we choose.
Don't restrict yourself to them wimpy bell peppers. Get a jalapeno or two as well and burn off the skin. Clean out the seeds and veins and dice it fine. Add salt, pepper, and a bit of oil and you've got a condiment.

Joe Pomis
One can also plunge the pepper in ice water for a few seconds, then the skin comes right off.

John Marmet
Pop the charred critters in a paper bag for a bit and they will peel even nicer.

Lee Ann Roberts
Go ahead and grill the peppers, or bake them in the oven, or broil them, whatever works to blister and blacken the skin. Toss them in a Ziploc-type bag and put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. The steam from the peppers will loosen the skin and they will be easy to peel.

Kyle Lerfald
Just blacken the outer skin on the grill, toss it in a brown paper bag and close it tight, and give it 10 minutes to steam itself. The outer skin slides off easy as kiss-my-hand. Then if you wish, a touch of olive oil. slice up and serve.