blistered peppers with spicy aioli

hello, hi, and happy monday to you. i am currently in this very moment wrapped in two blankets in front my christmas tree, balancing a coffee cup in one hand, my laptop in the other, and spotify’s christmas cocktail jazz playlist is on softly in the background. i lit a cheap target balsam fir candle because our christmas tree is very much fake, as living on the 19th floor of an apartment and 6 feet of live kindling seemed unwise for the neighbors. mornings like these are pretty much how i want to uncurl into the day from the end of october well into january, so yes thank you we are having a nice time. how was your weekend? what was the best part? i had the apartment to myself this weekend which was such a treat and needed (you know those times when it’s nice to see your friends but also SO nice to come home and not have to speak to anyone? it was that, and i loved it.) i had a wine and chocolate chip cookie date with a friend, got all my present wrapping finished, went to a delightful brunch and had cauliflower falafel and a blood orange saffron bevvie, wandered through a bookstore, watched the first two harry potter movies for PEAK festive vibes and deep pangs of missing home, and cooked a whole cabbage for dinner because thats the sort of thing you can do while alone and no one can tell you otherwise.

i’ve also been sitting on these peppers for weeks and haven’t found the right time to get them on here. they were inspired by an appetizer my partner and i had at obstinate daughter in charleston, and are truly so simple that calling them a recipe seemed… braggy? maybe? i’d also like to think they’re sort of special in that simplicity, like its not the kind of thing i’d usually make as a side dish or starter, but there is something kind of fun about making a dish that feels like it can only be had at a restaurant, yeah?

all we’re doing here is charring baby bell peppers, giving them a big sprinkle of salt hot out of the pan, and dipping them in a spicy but not too spicy creamy aioli. it requires almost zero effort and with the holidays and a flurry of once-a-year foods, we need that sort of thing. i’ve made these both on a grill and in a cast iron skillet, and for this recipe we’re going cast iron because it’s easier and most people’s grills are buried under a mound of snow at the moment. making this work for all seasons, party people!

a few things before we get started:

- this recipe literally could not be easier. there is almost no measuring, two ingredients plus spices, and delivers on a lot of flavor in roughly 7 minutes. if the barefoot contessa were here, she’d be chiming from the bleachers, ‘how bad could that be?’
- this is a best-served-hot situation, so I wouldn’t recommend prepping the peppers ahead of time. the aioli, however, can be whipped up at any moment and will keep for 5 days.
- you could totally make this whole thing more glamorous and serve it alongside a full on snack board or spanish cheese plate, but i saw a lot of success just tossing this together one sunday afternoon with no real agenda (success = my partner and i ate the whole plate. quickly.)

blistered peppers with spicy aioli
makes: 2-4 servings as a side or appetizer
prep time: -
cook time: 10 minutes

1lb baby bell peppers
1/2c mayo; i prefer a paleo, avocado oil-based option
1tsp chili powder
1/2tsp paprika
1/4tsp cayenne
big pinch of salt
juice from 1/2 a lemon
fresh oregano for garnish, optional but adds a lovely robustness

heat a cast iron skillet over medium. once hot, add the peppers directly to the skillet - not cooking oils or fats here; we want a true char on the peppers! sear the peppers for few minutes on each side until the skin begins to blacken and blister.

while the peppers are cooking, stir the mayo, spices, and lemon juice until combined. adjust the spice and salt to your liking.

once the peppers are blistered, transfer them to a serving tray, and sprinkle with more salt and oregano, if you like.