Seared Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Manchego Cheese
Seared Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Manchego Cheese
Total Time: 15-20 minutesIngredients
4 piquillo peppers D.O. Lodosa5 tablespoons Spanish extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced
2 ounces manchego cheese, cut into 2-inch sticks
fresh thyme sprigs
fresh parsley sprigs
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
Directions
1. Whisk 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, shallots, and scallions together in a bowl. Season as desired with salt and pepper.2. Slide a stick of cheese into each pepper.
3. Heat the last remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add the peppers and brown a bit on both sides until you see the universal symbol of tastiness, melting cheese.
4. Plate the peppers, and drizzle with some of the dressing and a sprinkling of the thyme and parsley sprigs. Serve immediately to maximize the wonders of melted cheese.
5. Eat.
Recipe adapted from Jose Andrés.
+About
One afternoon not that long ago, A.J. Weiss was sitting in a cafe, tapping his pen on an empty note pad, and staring out the window. The prior accumulated years of adventure, heartbreak, and common drudgery had all amounted to this, a particular moment, for reasons both unknown and fairly straightforward. The most straightforward being that he worked at Blue Planet Foods, Ltd., importer of high-quality food products and ingredients, and that he had set forth to complete the task of conjuring a suitable name for the company's new Spanish specialty food brand. After a certain amount of consideration and voluminous list-making, Donostia Foods came to be.
What was the inspiration for this (superb) brand name? Donostia-San Sebastián, a small coastal city in Basque Country in northern Spain, renowned for its restaurants, gastronomic societies, and culinary traditions. A place where locals and visitors alike wander the cobblestones of the old town in the warm evening light, drifting amongst the pintxo bars to sample unparalleled small-bites accompanied by the effervescent local wine, txakoli, and sharing in the laughter that becomes the fondest of memories; a place that exudes good food, good drinks, and a general sense of revelry. All of which is quite enjoyable.
With Donostia Foods we hope to introduce more people in the United States to the gastronomic pleasures of Donostia-San Sebastián and Spain as a whole, with a continually expanding product line of the best examples of the best products we can find and with the conviviality of the place itself.
Thank you for your interest in Donostia Foods, and if there's anything we can do for you, please contact us.
A.J. Weiss in the village of Espelette in Basque Country.
