Stuffed piquillo peppers is probably one of my favorite classic Spanish dishes. I still don’t know why is not as famous abroad as other overhyped tapas (such as chorizos al vino).
Piquillo peppers (piquillo means literally “little beak”) are pointy little peppers that are grown in Lodosa, Navarra. They are usually roasted and preserved so you don’t have to do it yourself.
This might be the ingredient more difficult to find, but they should be available in gourmet stores. (Or at my home in Zürich, where I stash everything I can fit in my luggage)
Hope you enjoy the stuffed piquillo peppers and if you want to learn more, continue reading after the recipe!
Cod Stuffed Piquillo peppers
Ingredients
Peppers
- 14 Piquillo peppers aprox
- 60 g onion
- 350 g cod Salted cod (previously soaked) for authentic results
- 1.5 tbsp white flour
- 1 clove garlic
- 400 ml milk or soja milk
- 2-3 tbsp Olive oil
Sauce
- 8 Piquillo peppers
- 1 onion medium
- 50 ml white wine
- 300 ml cream or soja cream
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- salt
Instructions
Peppers
- Chop the onion and crush the garlic
- Heat up a pan with olive oil and cook the onions until they are transparent. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds
- Add the cod. When it start cooking you can press with a wooden spoon and separate the flakes.
- Add the flour and stir until the flour has some color. Start adding the milk slowly while you stir. The goal is to reach a consistency such as a thick porridge. Add salt if the cod was not salted.
- Let it cool down, and then fill the piquillo peppers
Sauce
- Chop the onion
- Heat up a pan with olive oil and cook the onions until they are transparent. Add the peppers and stir for 1 or 2 min.
- Add the white wine and cook for another 2 or 3 min
- Add the cream and stir. Blend the whole mix and put back on the pan to cook for a few minutes until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt to taste
Heating up all together
- Put the peppers in an oven proof recipient and pour the sauce in.
- Cook at 200C for 10 min
More About Piquillo Peppers
Navarra is the paradise of the Piquillo pepper. Eight towns – in addition to Lodosa, which is the center – are protected by the “DO” – Denominación de origen or guarantee of origin. They are Andosilla, Azagra, Cárcar, LerÃn, Mendavia, San Adrián and Sartaguda. Yes, I know, where are picky about where our veggies are growing. As Ferrán Adriá said: “Navarra is the world capital of vegetables”. And if you disagree with that statement, you are wrong and Ferrán and I are right 🙂 .
Piquillo peppers are present in almost every traditional restaurant and used as a garnish for cutlets, in omelettes or cold, as part of a salad, as they combine very well with tuna.
Pan fried with garlic and allowing its juice to bind with the oil to form a magnificent sauce, they are an exceptional starter. And you can’t forget the fillings: minced meat, cod …There is a pepper recipe for everybody
I will be using them on more recipes soon, so stay tuned!
I am a Spaniard living in Zürich, working in tech during the day and in the kitchen part of my free time.
Follow my instagram The Mediterranean Table for my daily cooking and some restaurant recommendations.
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