Green Peppers and Peaches Salad

When I first came across this recipe in 'real greek food', I began to appreciate what Greek chef and restaurateur Theodore Kyriakou meant when he said that "the term 'Greek Salad' is one of the most abused in the world. Greece (he proceeded to explain) has a large range of interesting and novel salads, nearly all of which require the ingredients to be wilted first, plus several interesting vegetable accompaniments". His recipe for Green Peppers and Peaches Salad is one such recipe. I am posting it for the 2005 Zaar World Tour. He describes this recipe as "a novel configuration of sweetness and tang". It's certainly very different from what is generally served to non-Greeks as "Greek Salad" in Greek restaurants, and from any other salad I've ever eaten! If you're feeling adventurous, you'll give this recipe a try!

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 kg green peppers
• 150  ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tablespoon brown sugar
• 1  kg  large ripe  peach (but not overripe)
• 3  tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2  teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
•  sea salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
2. Wash, core and quarter the green peppers; spread the peppers out on a shallow roasting tray and sprinkle them with half the olive oil and the sugar. Season well and ensure that the pieces are well-coated.
3. Roast in the oven for about 45-60 minutes.
4. Halfway through the cooking time, you will notice that the edges of some of the peppers have turned brown and acquired a crunchy edge. Give them another good mix in, so that they do not burn and stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow them to cool.
6. Peel and pit the peaches with a sharp knife; slice them into chunky wedges; place them in a large salad bowl and mix them with the cooled green peppers.
7. Toss the cumin seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat until they start popping. Do not let them turn brown as they will taste bitter.
8. Crush the toasted cumin in a pestle, then mix it with the cayenne pepper and sprinkle the resulting coarse powder over the salad.
9. Add the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice; stir all the ingredients well, check and - if necessary - adjust the seasoning, then serve.