Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 150 g cherry tomato, halved
Vinaigrette & Aromatics
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 20 ml red wine vinegar
- 4 anchovy fillet, oil-packed, drained
- 15 g caper, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 garlic, minced
- 50 g kalamata olive, pitted and sliced
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 157 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 323 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 3 mg
- Potassium
- 255 mg
- Calcium
- 36 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 18 mg
- Phosphorus
- 37 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 97 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 160 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 41 mcg
- Water
- 115 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, finely mince the anchovy fillets, garlic clove, and capers. Smash them together slightly with the side of the knife to form a rough, fragrant paste.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the anchovy paste, red wine vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk continuously while slowly pouring in the extra virgin olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Remove the stems, seeds, and ribs from the red and yellow bell peppers. Slice them lengthwise into very thin strips. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Add the sliced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, and chopped parsley to the mixing bowl with the vinaigrette. Mix thoroughly to ensure all vegetables are evenly coated.
Allow the salad to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. This brief marination softens the raw crunch of the peppers and allows the savory flavors of the dressing to penetrate the vegetables.
Chef's Notes
- Using a mandoline slicer for the bell peppers ensures uniformly thin strips, which dramatically improves the texture and mouthfeel of the final dish.
- If the assertive flavor of raw garlic is a concern, let the minced garlic sit in the red wine vinegar for 10 minutes before adding the other vinaigrette ingredients. The acid mellows the sharp allicin compounds.
- Do not skip the resting step. Letting the salad marinate for 15 minutes transforms it from a bowl of raw vegetables into a cohesive, properly seasoned dish as the salt draws out some of the tomato juices to enhance the dressing.
- For a milder umami profile, soak the anchovy fillets in a little milk for 10 minutes before draining and mincing to remove excess fishiness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Peppers will soften and release liquid over time, but the flavors will deepen beautifully.
Troubleshooting
The salad is too salty
Cause: Capers, olives, and anchovies all contribute high levels of sodium. Additional salt may have been added unnecessarily.
Fix: Toss in more halved cherry tomatoes or a pinch of granulated sugar to balance the salinity.
Prevention: Do not add any additional kosher or sea salt until after the salad has rested and been tasted.
Vinaigrette is broken or separated
Cause: Oil was added too quickly to the vinegar base.
Fix: Add a teaspoon of warm water or dijon mustard and whisk vigorously to re-emulsify.
Prevention: Drizzle the oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously.
Cultural Context
This salad draws heavy inspiration from the coastal regions of the Mediterranean, particularly southern Italy and Greece, where abundant summer produce is often paired with preserved seafood and briny cured olives. The combination of sweet, crisp peppers with the deep, savory notes of cured anchovies reflects a historical reliance on pantry staples to elevate fresh, seasonal vegetables.
