As a regular feature of the Brixton Blog, we’ll be asking local Brixton people for their favourite recipes and, most importantly, the Brixton stories that go with them.
We’ve started with Rosie Lovell, who has run Rosie’s Deli in the market for over five years and is author of the cookbook, ‘Spooning with Rosie’
This recipe is a time-honoured Italian classic. Everyone from Elizabeth David to Delia has written about it. You may wonder what on earth it could have to do with Brixton foods. But when I was set the task of conjuring an essentially Brixton-rooted recipe all I could think about were peppers. Red peppers with big shiny skins, long sweet Romano peppers at the Nour Cash & Carry, and little nifty orange ones, which fry beautifully. When I think of Brixton I think of gorgeous peppers. Serve these warm with slim slices of goat’s cheese and crisp toasted ciabatta.
6 juicy peppers, red or yellow
6 large anchovies, preserved in oil, halved
6 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
freshest thyme, on the stalk
a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Slice the peppers in half, keeping the stalks intact, but removing the seeds and any pith. Place them, cavity side up, in a roasting dish and then tuck in to each pepper the anchovies, sliced garlic and tomatoes. Pour over olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Scatter over fresh thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour.
