Roasted PepperIn all cases, they should be slit along one side or pierced with a fork to prevent explosions and then roasted until the skin is blistered, turning frequently for even charring. Remove them when the skin is almost all black and the flesh underneath is cooked but not mushy. The roasting makes it possible to remove the tough, transparent outer skin of the chiles. Protect your hands from burning when preparing chiles by wearing rubber gloves or coating your hands with shortening or other solid fat; don’t touch your eyes or other sensitive areas after handling chiles. If you want milder chiles, remove the seeds and trim the veins from the chiles before roasting. To broil, preheat broiler. Place chiles on a foil-lined tray or cookie sheet 3 to 6 inches below the broiler unit; leave oven door open. On an outdoor grill, place the rack close to the charcoal (or select high heat setting on a gas grill); place chiles on rack when briquettes have an even white coating. You can add soaked wood chips if you like a smoke flavor. If you want too freeze the chiles, cool them and bag them without peeling; they will peel easily after they’ve been defrosted. If you want crisper chiles, plunge them into ice water directly after cooking and before peeling. For softer chiles, place in a bowl or pan and cover with a towel, or place them in a paper bag and close loosely, to steam until they’re cool enough to handle. Peel the chiles from the stem end down.
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