In Alice Hart’s new vegetarian cookbook, Repertoire, there’s an entire chapter dedicated to sauces, condiments and pickles that will elevate and transform veggie dishes. In this exclusive extract, Alice shares a recipe for a Portuguese-inspired sauce that’s perfect for spooning over everything – ideal for sprucing up leftovers and reducing the likelihood of food waste.
Piri Piri Everything
“This addictive Portuguese-inspired chilli sauce gained its name because you’ll want to spoon it over everything. I particularly love it over roasted vegetables. It freezes well in an airtight box or ice cube tray for up to 3 months so you may want to double the recipe. This quantity keeps very well in a sealed jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks, provided the surface is covered with oil to protect it from oxidising.”
Makes about 350ml (121/4fl oz/11/2 cups)
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Vegan
Ingredients
2 large red (bell) peppers
5 large red chillies
1 small red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 red piri piri or birdseye chillies, chopped
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp hot smoked paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tbsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp black pepper
finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
Method
Start by charring the whole peppers and chillies on a baking sheet under a hot grill (broiler) for 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until blackened and blistered all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate and set aside to steam for 15 minutes. Peel as best you can (don’t be too fastidious here), then cut the peppers and chillies open and remove the seeds and stalks.
Pulse the red onion, garlic and birdseye chillies in a mini food processor until quite finely chopped. Add the charred peppers and chillies with the olive oil, paprika, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse again to make a rough paste, then transfer to a clean jar, cover with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Repertoire: The Best Vegetarian Recipes to Build a Modern Cook’s Collection by Alice Hart is published by OH Editions
