Summertime South of France Recipe: Collioure-Style Appetizer

One of my favorite appetizers to prepare at home every summer is this Collioure-style plate of cured anchovies – a true delicacy of the region – with roasted red bell peppers. I love the balance of the sweetness of the cooked bell pepper with the acidity and saltiness of the anchovies. I flavor the dish with garlic and a good extra virgin olive oil.

This is a great refreshing and healthy appetizer that is perfect for enjoying on the patio with a chilled bottle of wine. You can also enjoy it on board at Terrace Café when we are sailing in the Mediterranean.

Collioure-Style Appetizer
Serves 10

Ingredients
4 red bell peppers
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 ¼ tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 anchovy fillets, canned (boquerones marinated in vinegar, from Collioure if possible)
Fleur de sel, to taste

Directions
Place the bell peppers on baking tray and spray extra virgin olive oil over the bell peppers. Bake them in the oven for 40 minutes at 275˚ F. Once cooked, place the bell peppers with olive oil into a mixing bowl and cover with plastic film. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. Remove the bell peppers from the oil, setting the oil aside for later use. Remove the skin and seeds from the bell pepper, then slice the bell pepper lengthwise into one-inch strips and place them on the plate.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped garlic and chopped parsley together. Add the extra virgin oil, which has been used for cooking the bell pepper. Spoon the garlic mix on the top of the bell pepper. Add the eggs wedges, fleur de sel and finish with the anchovy fillets. Chill for an hour or serve room temperature.