The Broiler and Me

I have long avoided the broiler setting on my oven. This is in large part due to the fact that I have so many scars on my arms from burning them taking things out of a merely 350 degree oven that taking them out of a Broiling oven seems like tempting the gods of the kitchen. I've got the strawberry rhubarb pie burns, matching on either side like culinary stigmata. Those puppies even impressed some professional chefs at Prune in NYC. But life is dull if you don't face your fears. And since some of my favorite things come out of piping hot ovens, it was time for me to face mine and make some broiled vegetables for some yummy mozzerella sandwiches.

The key to the broiler is to get the shelf way up high. Watch out for the wave of when you open the oven door after preheating too. Not only did my glasses fog I felt distinctly like Kurt Russell in "Backdraft". I sprayed some olive oil on some big sweet onion slices, slices of eggplant and red peppers and salt 'n' pepa them. In five minutes the eggplant was in the garbage looking like evil in "Time Bandits." But it was the perfect time to flip the charred peppers and the slippery onions. Don't forget to peel off the black pepper skin.

Facing your fears is delicious. Speaking of fears, it's back to that blank computer screen for me...