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1
Stick a sturdy metal skewer into the stem end of a red or yellow bell pepper and place the pepper over and into a direct flame.
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2
Let the skin blister and become blackened, turning frequently.
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3
When blackened all over, slide it off the skewer directly onto a clean kitchen towel or into a paper lunch bag.
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4
Enclose the pepper completely in the towel (or scrunch the bag shut) and let it steam until it becomes tender and cool enough to handle.
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5
Repeat for the remaining peppers.
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6
Alternatively, preheat the broiler with the rack as close as possible to the heating element.
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7
Halve the peppers and lay them on a cold broiler pan, skin side up.
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8
Broil the peppers until the skins are blackened and blistered, then remove them from the oven and let them cool as described above.
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9
Unwrap the peppers (they will look somewhat shriveled and feel limp), and rub the blackened skins off, revealing the flesh.
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10
If little stubborn bits of the blackened skin bother you, just rinse them off, though this will remove a bit of their smoky flavor.
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11
Cut the peppers in half through the stem end (if not already halved), and pull out their veins and seeds.
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12
Again, feel free to lightly rinse out any stray seeds; then dry the peppers meticulously and place them in a clean wide-mouth jar or in a sturdy plastic tub.
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13
Drizzle the peppers with the garlic oil or olive oil and grind in some black pepper.
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14
If serving within 24 hours, you can layer several thinly sliced (or minced) garlic cloves within the halved peppers.
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15
If serving that day, keep the peppers at room temperature.
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16
If planning to refrigerate, for best flavor, bring the peppers close to room temperature before serving.
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17
In a pinch, zap them in the microwave (uncovered) for 30 seconds to 1 minute on high, just to help loosen any congealed oil and to take off their chill.
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18
Sprinkle the peppers lightly with kosher salt just before serving.
