Red pepper sauces have perhaps as many uses, potentially, as tomato sauces. They may be used over fish, pork chops, turkey chops, or egg plant, and may be stirred into short pasta. A thick red pepper sauce is fine as a spread for crackers, or in a tuna fish sandwich. Indeed, it may serve generally instead of mayonnaise in various applications. A red pepper sauce is especially good with poached or scrambled eggs.

In spite of their convenience and multiple uses, they have not yet become a common currency. Thus a red pepper sauce, subtly seasoned, is presently capable of elevating a simple dish or meal to the memorable category.

In fact, I first became acquainted with red pepper sauce through my daughter Kitty. She served a dinner in the middle of the week, after work, so her time was limited. She cooked salmon on a stovetop grill, with boiled potatoes. In the middle of the table was a large bowl of red pepper sauce, made with balsamic vinegar. The quantity seemed large, but all the guests kept helping themselves to both fish and potatoes, and it disappeared all too soon.

Click here for a Red Pepper and Anchovy Spread for crackers. 

Red pepper sauces generally improve with standing. Whenever possible they should be made ahead ½ hour, preferably several hours. They continue to improve with refrigeration overnight.

Red pepper sauces may be kept in the refrigerator up to a week. However, delay adding garlic or similar strong flavors until the day of serving as they may introduce a harsh taste in long storage.

Roast the red peppers in toaster oven or other method. 

Peel the roasted peppers. Cut them into manageable pieces and whip them in the food processor.

Whip in the olive oil gradually, pulse by pulse. Season with salt and pepper.

Whip in the balsamic vinegar. Add optional white wine vinegar to taste. That’s it, enjoy.

Variations

Omit the balsamic vinegar, producing a simple sauce of peppers and olive oil only. Add vinegar or not, to taste.

Various Additions

For variety stir in some minced sweet red onion. Garlic may also be added, pureed and stirred in not long before serving.

Or stir in olives, preferably Calamata, pitted and halved. Try almonds, toasted or slivered. Capers are a possibility. A distinctive taste is provided by diced, cooked ham, and/or chopped green pepper, which will also provide a little color.

This has become a favorite in our household. It adds the distinctive taste of tomatoes and red wine vinegar that we first experienced in the Greek Whipped Eggplant Spread.

Addition of these ingredients to the red pepper creates a distinctly different taste, richer, not so mellow as the master recipe above.

Unlike the eggplant spread, this sauce can be used immediately. It does improve with overnight refrigeration. It may be refrigerated up to a week., and may be frozen.

Makes 1 cup, serves 4 as sauce for fish, eggplant, or crackers

Roast the red peppers in toaster oven or other method.

Peel the roasted peppers. Cut them into manageable pieces and whip them in the food processor.

Whip in the olive oil gradually, pulse by pulse.

Whip in the chopped tomato and red wine vinegar. Taste. Add more vinegar, salt, and black pepper to taste.

Variation
Add some minced sweet onions.

Two additional red pepper sauces are described in the Braised Pork section.