Roasted Red Pepper Spread
6 lbs red bell peppers
1 lb roma/plum tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic (unpeeled)
1 small white onion
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
Under a broiler or on a grill at 425 roast red peppers, tomatoes,garlic and onion, turning to roast all sides until tomatoes and peppers are blistered, blackend and softened and until garlic and onion are blackend in spots.
About 15 minutes,( I am writing this exactly as the recipe dictaates but I found that if you do the garlic and onion as long as the tomatoes and peppers they get too soft to chop)
Remove from heat. Let the garlic and onion cool. Place peppers and tomatoes into paper bags. Secure the opeings and let cool until they can be handled.
Peel papery skins off garlic and onion. Finery chop garlic and set aside. Finely chop onion, measure 1/4 cup and set aside.
Peel and seed peppers and onins. Working in batches, place peppers and tomatoes into a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade and puree until smooth.
prepare canner jars and lids.
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine tomato and pepper puree, garlic , onion, vinegar, basil, sugar, and salt.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil gently until mixture thickens and mounds on a spoon, about 20 minutes.
Ladle hot spread into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace by adding hot spread if necessary, by adding hot spread.
Put lids and bands on jars until fingertip tight.
Process in a hotwater bath, with jars completely covered by water for 10 minutes.
Makes 5- 8 ounce jars.
