Roasted Red Pepper & Black Olive Dip

This is a total breeze to prepare. The red pepper is naturally sweet after roasting. I usually make this right at the start of the evening. That way, your starter dish 'd be out to your guests while the rest of dinner is being prepared. The dip may also be prepared the night before and kept cling-wrapped in a dish to serve the next day.

For one serving, you'll need:

• a medium-sized red pepper
• 1/3 tsp of salt & a pinch of sugar to taste
• olive oil
• 5 pitted black olives coarsely chopped
• Dried italian herbs (optional)

Thats all!

Instructions:

Slice the red pepper into quarters, brush with olive oil and place skin side upwards in a roasting pan.

Grill at high heat (I use the Grill function in my convection microwave) until the skins are charred. This takes about 18 - 30 minutes (depending on how close you place the roasting tray to the top heating element of the oven) , during which you can prepare the rest of dinner.

Once done, place the peppers (still hot) into a bowl and cling-wrap. This is to facilitate peeling of the skins.

When cool, peel off the charred skin of the red peppers, pulse blend into a lumpy mixture, add the olives, then enough salt & sugar to taste. You sprinkle on some italian herbs. Serve this as a dip accompaniment with crusty bread and dukkah.