This week I’m presenting a few really easy tapas that require very little time to prepare.
I recently became aware of ‘piquillo’ peppers and immediately fell in love. They come from the Ebro River Valley in Northern Spain and are hand-picked, slow-roasted over wood fires and then canned or jarred for export. They are perfectly and uniformly shaped and have a very sweet taste with an underlying essence of the wood fires they were roasted over.
I’ve been buying Goya’s jarred piquillos whenever I see them in my supermarket – and they’re very reasonable at $1.59 for a small jar. You can also purchase various other brands on Amazon or from La Tienda.
Stuffed Baked Piquillos. Couldn’t be simpler. Stuff with a piece of provolone or, better yet, Manchego from Spain and bake in oven till cheese melts. Serve on toasted round.
Stuffed Piquillos. Anchovy-flavored soft cheese made by blending 2 parts cream cheese and 1 part sour cream. Add a tin of filleted anchovies and mash with a fork.
White Asparagus. Cook fresh white asparagus in a skillet with a mix of chicken stock, olive oil and garlic (just enough liquid to steam). Bring up heat and then immediately cover and simmer over lower heat for about 10 minutes till tender. Add sherry vinegar and diced olives.
Other recipes using piquillos: Pincho de Albondiga (Pork Meatball Tapas), Spinach + Artichoke Muffin with Mojo Rojo
I hope you’ve been enjoying this Tapas Tuesdays series. I will be ending it soon with 3 recipes from my Spanish grandmother: Escabeche, Caldo Gallego and Empanada Gallega.
Hasta luego.
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Look at these fantastic piquillos you’ve prepared!!!! That melting cheese looks delicious (and you know I’m not a cheese person).
You know what I just found out about piquillos? They come from Peru!!!!! Look at the label carefully Joan! Not that these are bad but it seems that they are grown and roasted in similar conditions and therefore called piquillos too.
Thanks. You’re right! I just checked a jar of Goya piquillos that I have in the pantry and it says product of Peru. That was a surprise.:) However, when I researched online, I was informed that this type of pepper is from that northern region in Spain and many of the varieties on Amazon and La Tienda are imported from Spain.
I get piquillos in Price Chopper and use them in salads. You’ve opened up a door! Can’t wait to make them for company with a bit of melted cheese on a crispy Italian toast.
They all look mouth watering good – especially the stuffed piquillos. Mmmm.
how delicious -
Barbaro! I didn’t knew your grandmother is Spanish Joan!! What a revelation, we could almost be relatives, aren’t we? ..lol.
I think Spain’s Cuisine is one of the bests in the world, and piquillos OMG, they are good in everything.
I wouldn’t mind to eat a whole platter of piquillos stuffed with queso provolone or manchego.
Can’t wait to check el caldo and the rest. Great tapas series!
I’m always looking for easy appetizers and certainly these fit the bill. And best of all, they’re pretty too.
Sam
I did not know that Goya had them. Usually we buy from DeEspana in my neighborhood which a tin will cost $13.00 – these are from Spain and they all are perfectly shaped, sweet and DELICIOSO.
I just tried the piquillos stuffed with manchego… Wonderful! I roasted my own piquillos and microwaved the stuffed peppers for a very short time, just enough for the cheese to melt… Isn’t it funny that a Spaniard gets to know a new tapa from a American descendant of Galician immigrants? I find it almost poetic…
I’m teaching a cooking class and we are doing appetizers. I was scouring the interwebs for new recipes and lo and behold I stumbled upon these stuffed peppers! I can’t wait to try them out. So simple and such flavors! Thanks.
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