Portuguese Salad

By es123

Ingredients

• 3 medium green bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 6 ripe plum tomatoes (or 3 large ripe tomatoes - 1.25 to 1.5 pounds)
• 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Portuguese
• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 0.5-inch thick
• 12 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 0.25 cup red wine vinegar (5 to 6% acidity)
• 2 teaspoons prepared chili-garlic paste (Portuguese or Vietnamese)
• kosher or sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

For the tomatoes
Brush the tomatoes with olive oil on all sides, and using a skewer or pair of long tongs, place the tomato as close to the flame or heat of an open gas flame, a hot grill or a broiler as possible.
As the skin blisters, turn the tomato until it is blistered all over, about 3 minutes - it's okay if it is charred or blackened. Do this as quickly as possible so the tomato doesn't become over cooked.
Set them on a pan and let them cool.
Peel the tomatoes and cut them into pieces about the same size as the peppers, approximately 1 inch.
For the cucumber
Meanwhile, place the cucumber slices on a rack or in a colander and sprinkle them lightly with salt on both sides.
Allow them to rest for 20 minutes to release their juices, then pat dry with paper towels and set aside.
To assemble and serve
Combine roast peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers in a large salad bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Stir in the remaining olive oil, red wine vinegar and chili paste and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Keep chilled but pull the salad and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Additional Notes on this Recipe
Without cucumbers, this salad will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Add the cucumbers the day you will be eating the salad.