Piquillos Rellenos (stuffed piquillo peppers)

Name: Piquillos Rellenos (stuffed piquillo peppers)
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Basque
Ingredients: Some Pepper (Black), to taste; 12 Jarred Piquillo Peppers, drained (plus extra whole peppers for plating); 350g Salt Cod (Bacalao), soaked/desalted 24–48 hours, drained; 500ml Whole Milk, for poaching and béchamel; 1 Small Onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 40g Plain Flour; 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Some Ground Nutmeg; 4 Jarred Piquillo Peppers, from jar; 1 Small Onion, sliced; 1 clove of Garlic, sliced; 150ml Heavy Cream; 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Some Salt, to taste; Some Pepper (Black), to taste; 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for searing/warming the stuffed peppers; Some Fresh Parsley, chopped, optional, for garnish

Bright, silky piquillo peppers are filled with a creamy, flavorful salt-cod ragout that melts in your mouth—an elegant Spanish tapa or a comforting starter. The smoky sweetness of the roasted peppers contrasts beautifully with the rich, nutmeg-laced béchamel-style filling, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley. Simple techniques turn pantry ingredients into a luxuriously luscious bite.

Bright, silky piquillo peppers are filled with a creamy, flavorful salt-cod ragout that melts in your mouth—an elegant Spanish tap... Show more

es-pv Traditional Basque Recipe

Health Grade

B- · Healthy

Rating

4.3

Time

1 hr

Price

2,70 €

Calories

636 kcal

high protein

low carb

keto

low sugar

Method

Prep everything

Peel both Small Onions, then finely chop one for the filling and slice the other for the sauce. Mince 2 Garlic cloves for the filling and slice 1 clove for the sauce. Drain the Jarred Piquillo Peppers well, then set aside 12 for stuffing, 4 for the sauce, and any extra whole peppers for plating. Break the soaked Salt Cod (Bacalao) into large chunks, checking for any bones or bits of skin.

Poach the cod

Put the cod chunks in a small saucepan and pour in enough Whole Milk to just cover them. Bring it to a bare simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 5 minutes, until the cod turns opaque and flakes apart easily. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, let it cool for a minute, and flake it into bite-size pieces; keep the milk nearby for the filling.

Make the filling

Set a skillet over medium heat and warm the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, then stir in the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the Plain Flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to make a pale roux. Whisk in the reserved milk a little at a time until you have a thick, silky béchamel, then fold in the cod and season with Ground Nutmeg and Pepper (Black). Keep cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the filling is creamy and holds its shape on a spoon.

Cook the sauce

In a clean skillet, warm the other spoonful of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sliced garlic, and cook until soft and fragrant. Stir in the 4 remaining piquillo peppers and the Heavy Cream, then let the sauce simmer gently until the peppers are very soft and the mixture thickens a little, about 8 minutes. Season with Salt and more black pepper to taste.

Blend smooth

Blend the hot sauce directly in the pan with an immersion blender until it is silky and uniform. If you want a finer finish, blend a little longer, then taste and adjust the seasoning one last time.

Fill the peppers

Spoon the warm cod filling into the 12 piquillo peppers, nudging it all the way to the ends without splitting the skins. Set the stuffed peppers on a tray or platter so they are easy to move to the pan.

Warm and plate

Heat the remaining olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the stuffed peppers and warm them gently, turning once, until they are hot all the way through and lightly golden in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Spoon the sauce onto plates, arrange the peppers on top, add any reserved whole peppers around them, and finish with chopped Fresh Parsley if you like.