Balsamic-Roasted Bell Peppers with Garlic and Herbs

Today’s post is about making tender, balsamic-roasted peppers: sweet slivers of pepper roasted with garlic and balsamic vinegar to create a rich antipasti-style side. They are simple to prepare—peeling is optional. If you want the smoothest texture, peel them, but know it takes patience and a little extra time.

Confrontation.

I woke early today for a meeting with a web developer about the ongoing work on the bloggerskillsacademy site. The project has drifted and I wanted to steer it back on course. I don’t enjoy confrontation, so raising doubts about the direction felt like a big hurdle.

My alarm was set for 5:40 a.m., but I was awake before then. I sat at my desk and wrote three pages of morning pages—an exercise recommended by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way to clear mental clutter and start the day with clarity. As I worked through those pages, I reflected on the upcoming meeting and how best to address the issues I’d noticed.

Avoidant.

I find confrontation manageable only when I’m angry; then I can be confrontational without hesitation. But anger rarely produces the best outcomes, so I try to avoid it. I also tend to feel I need hard evidence before raising concerns—phrases like “this has delayed the launch” or “you didn’t complete X” seem necessary to make feedback feel valid rather than personal.

Prized Possessions.

Before any of the awkward conversations, I finished my pages, got dressed, and took my dog to the park just after 6 a.m. The early park crowd includes several dog owners, and today my dog found a soiled nappy and paraded around proudly with it. To make things more entertaining, a group of bootcamp-clad women arrived with a tough-looking coach, and one of the women present was someone I hadn’t seen for years—someone I deliberately distanced myself from. Seeing her triggered an instinct to leave, but coaxing a dog to drop a prized find and exit gracefully is not straightforward.

I tried to call my dog back discreetly while avoiding eye contact with the group. Eventually another dog claimed the prize and my dog moved on. I left the park having forgotten about my meeting, and in hindsight the distraction was probably for the best.

Balsamic Roasted Peppers.

Now to the food. Roasted peppers have long been a favourite of mine. Their Mediterranean character can instantly suggest warmer, sunlit places—think riviera terraces and simple, vibrant flavours. In this recipe, the peppers are roasted until soft and ten­der; you could also call the method braising, but the result is the same: silky, flavorful strips of pepper.

Peeling is the perennial question. Traditionalists insist on removing the skin because it can be slightly bitter, but peeling is tedious. If you don’t peel them, the peppers still taste excellent and you save time. For many, avoiding the peel makes sense unless you want that perfectly smooth texture.

Adding a dash of balsamic vinegar transforms plain roasted peppers into something more celebratory. They disappear fast, so cook more than you think you’ll need—if you expect three to be enough, roast four or five. Offer them straight away: they make a wonderful antipasti item to share with cheese, charcuterie, olives, or mixed into salads and sandwiches.

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