Piquillo Peppers
About the Recipe
Piquillo peppers Sauceto pair with savory foods.
Piquillo peppers are a small red sweet pepper grown throughout Northern Spain. The name means ‘little beak’ and refers to their small pointed shape. They’re roasted over embers and deseeded and peeled by hand before being jarred.
Looking for a sauce to pair with savory foods? A simple piquillo pepper sauce can deliciously do the trick. The combination of sweet and smoke that piquillos bring to the table are hard to match. Here we puree them into a simple sweet and sour sauce.
Pair the sauce with chorizo or steaks for a perfect salty/sweet combo. Or use the sauce to bring life to simple chicken dishes
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (15 ounces) piquillo peppers, drained, rinsed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons mild honey or sugar
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
PREPARATIONS:
Drain peppers and dry with paper towels.
Heat a pan over medium high heat, and add the olive oil. When heated, add the peppers, and sauté for a few minutes. Stir to combine, then simmer, uncovered, over medium-low for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar and cook the sugar until dark brown and on the verge of burning. The sugar will start to pop. Add the sherry vinegar and reduce.
Place the piquillo pepper mix into a food processor and add the smoked paprika. Process the mix until paste-like smooth and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Pour the mix into a mixing bowl and add the cream and additional tablespoon of olive oil. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper, and additional sugar or vinegar as necessary to yield a sweet and sour taste. Stir well to combine