Spanish Tapas Recipes, Stuffed Piquillo Peppers
This Spanish Tapas Recipe was contributed by Gabriela Llamas, Culinary Professor in Madrid, Stuffed Piquillo Peppers are common throughout Spain, particularly La Rioja, Navarra and Basque Country. This Spanish Tapa can be stuffed with everything from crab to tuna to meat, like in this recipe. The teacher, Gabriela Llamas, is a prestigious culinary professional with 15 years experience as instructor at one of the best cooking schools in Madrid, "Juan de Altamiras". She is a member of the Spanish Academy of Gastronomy and has worked for the Culinary Institute of America and many other culinary organizations, both in Spain and abroad. She has been working in the food business for nearly 20 years now and is at present devoted to editing a food magazine and writing for other publications, a part from organising events related to the food and wine business and giving cooking lessons. In the culinary magazine CUISINE, Sept. 1999, Chef Ray Mc Vinnie writes: ‘…this is a first hand experience of Spanish cookery as well as a chance to interrogate a mine of Spanish culinary information. A Gabriela Llamas demonstration is a must in Spain
Ingredients
- 800 grs skinned and boned salt cod
- 800 grs minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-2 tbsp white flour
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup milk
- 24 canned Piquillo peppers
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- salt and pepper
- flour, beaten egg and olive oil for deep frying
Sauce
- 6-10 piquillo peppers
- 4 onions, minced
- 4 cups fish stock
- 1 cup cream
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- a small bunch of parsley
- salt and pepper
Preparation
Cover the cod with cold water, refrigerate the fish for 24 hours and change the water every 8 hours or so. Drain the fish on paper towels and shred it with your fingers. In a skillet, heat the virgin olive oil, sauté the onion until transparent, add minced garlic and shredded cod and fry until very lightly browned. Add flour and mix well. Cook for 15 to 12 minutes adding the milk a little at a time until the cod béchamel is smooth. Set the pan aside and let it cool. Preheat oven at 180º C (350º F).Stuff the peppers with the cod béchamel and set aside. Dip the peppers in flour, then in beaten egg and deep fry until golden. Drain on paper towels and arrange the peppers in an ovenproof casserole. Pour the sauce on top and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes or until they are heated through and the sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve immediately.
Stuff the peppers with the cod béchamel and set aside. Dip the peppers in flour, then in beaten egg and deep fry until golden. Drain on paper towels and arrange the peppers in an ovenproof casserole. Pour the sauce on top and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes or until they are heated through and the sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve immediately.
For the sauce, heat olive oil in a skillet, fry the minced onion until golden, then add the piquillo peppers and garlic and fry until the peppers are done, then add the pepper stock, fish stock and cream and boil for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, process finely and pour over the peppers. Serves 6
