Pimientos de Piquillo Rellenos
The glorious red Piquillo pepper stuffed with creamy prawns.
My relationship with the roasted red pepper began in Soria, homeland of my ex-partner who was rather obsessive with the roasting process. Every BBQ would end with the long wait while two or three peppers softened gradually over the dying embers. Or winter evenings when the small metal stove was lit in the corner of the village home living room, the sweet smell of the juicy capsicum flesh and slightly blackened skin filled the house.
After the peppers had been sweating in a plastic bag awhile to make peeling them easier, he’d sit down with a knife, a bowl, olive oil, garlic and cumin, and begin the slow gentle process of peeling and slicing the peppers into slivers with the precision of a surgeon. Whatever was not going to be eaten that week would be placed in a jar. The marinade of pepper juices, virgin olive oil, garlic and cumin kept them fresh for a long time, though they would rarely make it through the next week before they were used as toast toppings, in salads, on fish, pasta, or as garnish.
Spaniards’ relationship with food is probably typical of many Mediterranean countries. The care and consideration given for the product, and the knowledge of how to bring out the best of its flavour, is so evident in their dishes. Recipes handed lovingly down from parent to child with strict instructions on how to prepare the dish properly, authentically, means they have survived the test of time and become classic dishes.
While most of us don’t have the opportunity to roast our own peppers, buying them already roasted and jarred is the next best option - though it’s a good idea to dry them of their brine before cooking. There are many varieties of red peppers, but the small Piquillo peppers that are grown in Spain are sweet rather than spicy and perfect for stuffing.
And there are many variations on the stuffed red pepper recipe, but basically they can be filled with any favourite food of choice. The most common in Spain include prawns, fish such as cod, mackerel, and tuna, crab, rice, ox tail, wild mushrooms, beef or lamb. Getting the creamy bechamel sauce right is an important part of the recipe’s success. Here’s one of my faves.
Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Prawns
Ingredients for 8 peppers.
Jar of roasted Piquillo peppers (usually found in most supermarkets or specialty stores)
Half a leek or a large onion
2 fat cloves of garlic
160g raw prawns
salt and black pepper
teaspoonful of butter
teaspoonful of flour
1/3 cup single cream
a drizzle of white wine (optional)
a handful of chopped fresh dill or a tsp of dried (optional)
a little grated cheese (optional)
To make the filling.
Chop the leek or onion into small pieces and reserve a tablespoon or so for the sauce.
Sauté in a little olive oil with one of the garlic cloves until softened, and add the prawns till cooked.
Add the butter and flour and mix until thick. Pour in a small amount of the cream, wine or a little water, stirring all the while to avoid lumping. Add more of the liquid ingredients as necessary until the bechamel is cooked. (see photo below)
You don’t want too much bechamel here - just enough to bind the prawn and leek mixture.
Add the dill, and the salt and pepper to taste.
Let cool.
With care, open up the mouth of the pepper and fill with the prawn mixture.
Lay them on greaseproof paper or foil in an ovenproof dish.
To make the Piquillo sauce.
Sauté the remaining onion/leek and other clove of garlic with 2 of the Piquillo peppers in a little oil.
Add a splash of the cream and wine/water.
Season to taste.
Blend to a smoothish sauce consistency.
Place the sauce over the stuffed peppers. For a toasty effect, grate a little cheese over the sauce.
Cook in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (392 F) for about 10 minutes, until slightly toasted on top and warmed through.