Serve these tasty peppers on a steak sandwich or chop and toss with hot pasta. Use a mix of hues for eye-catching color in the pantry—and pack the peppers loosely in the jars to ensure that they are properly processed.
PREP: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES ROAST: 20 MINUTES AT 425°F STAND: 15 MINUTES PROCESS: 35 MINUTES MAKES: 6 PINTS
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut sweet peppers in half lengthwise; remove stems and seeds. Place pepper halves, cut sides down, on foil-lined baking sheets. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until peppers are charred and very tender. Bring the foil up around the peppers and fold edges together to enclose. Let stand about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Use a sharp knife to loosen edges of the skins; gently pull off skins and discard.
2. Pack peppers into hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 sprigs basil, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt to each jar. Pour boiling water into jars, maintaining the 1-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
3. Process filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for a weighted-gauge canner or 11 pounds pressure for a dial-gauge canner for 35 minutes (start timing when canner reaches 10 or 11 pounds pressure), adjusting for altitude. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Carefully remove the canner lid; cool jars in canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.
4. To serve, place contents of one jar in a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil. Boil, covered, for 10 minutes (add 1 additional minute for each additional 1,000 feet of elevation).
PER 3 TABLESPOONS: 56 cal., 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 201 mg sodium, 11 g carb., 4 g fiber, 2 g pro.