Long hot peppers, in season from late summer through early fall, are worth seeking out at the farmers market for their bright green color and earthy heat. These mildly spicy Italian long hot peppers make a great sweet-and-sour toast topper or sandwich stuffer, but the way we love them most is dragged through a nutty, cooling tahini yogurt. The initial sear blisters the peppers, tenderizing them and adding a bit of char before the mix of sugar and vinegar adds sweetness and balance. Don’t forget to prick your peppers before cooking: This allows steam to escape and prevents them from popping aggressively in the pot.
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What you’ll need
Paring Knife
$10 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Platter
$40 $30 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
2
¼
¼
2
3
12
2
½
Preparation
Step 1
Stir together 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, ¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt, ¼ cup tahini, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 Tbsp. water in a medium bowl until smooth. Set tahini yogurt aside.
Step 2
Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Working in 2 batches and adding more oil between batches if needed, add 12 oz. Italian long hot peppers, pricked all over with a paring knife, and cook, tossing occasionally, until slightly softened and blistered, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3
Return peppers to pot and add 2 Tbsp. sugar, ½ cup white wine vinegar, and remaining 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, tossing peppers constantly, until glazed, about 3 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. water and toss, scraping up browned bits stuck to bottom of pot, until peppers are glossy. Remove from heat and drizzle in remaining 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar; toss to coat. Taste and season with more kosher salt if needed.
Step 4
Spread reserved tahini yogurt over a platter. Arrange peppers on top and pour any juices in pot over. Season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper.