Spiced Pepper Purée Food

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH A SPICY PIQUILLO PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Puree: Roughly chop the onions, garlic, peppers, piquillos, and cilantro; then add all puree ingredients into a food processor, except the olive oil and salt and pepper. Pulse several times until all ingredients have been finely diced. Once finely diced, slowly drizzle olive oil into food processor, while pulsing. Taste, add salt and pepper, as needed. Remove puree from processor and add to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to low.
• Scallops: Pat and dry scallops with paper towels; lightly season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over very high heat. In batches, cook scallops until golden brown and opaque throughout, about 2 minutes per side.
• Plate scallops on a white rectangular plate, lightly drizzle plate and scallops with piquillo pepper puree. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

RED PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to fold over the top later. Put the bell peppers in the pan and the pan in the oven. Roast, turning the peppers about every 10 minutes, until they collapse, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven; fold the foil over the peppers and allow them to cool.
• Working over a bowl, remove the core, skin and seeds from each of the peppers, reserving some of the liquid.
• Put the pepper pulp in a food processor with about two tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Add a large pinch of salt and turn on the machine; drizzle the oil in through the feed tube. Stop the machine, then taste and add more salt and/or olive oil if necessary. Store, well-covered, in the refrigerator (for several days) or the freezer (up to a month).

BELL PEPPER PURéE

Steps:

• Place the peppers on a sheet of foil on an oven tray under a preheated broiler, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches from the broiler. Turn them until their skins are black and blistered all over. Alternatively-and more easily-roast them in the hottest oven for about 30 minutes, or until they are soft and their skins blistered and blackened, turning them once after 15 minutes.
• To loosen the skins further, put them in a strong plastic bag, twist it shut, and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. Another old way that has the same effect is to put them in a pan with a tight-fitting lid for the same length of time. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel them, and remove and discard the stems and seeds.
• Blend the peppers to a purée in the food processor with the garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, chili, cumin, olive oil, and a little salt to taste.
• Put the purée into a serving bowl and mix in the chopped parsley, cilantro, and preserved lemon peel.

RED PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to fold over the top later. Put the bell peppers in the pan and the pan in the oven. Roast, turning the peppers about every 10 minutes, until they collapse, about 40 minutes.
• Fold the foil over the peppers and allow them to cool. Working over a bowl, remove the core, skin, and seeds from each of the peppers, reserving some of the liquid.
• Put the pepper pulp in a food processor with about 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Add a large pinch of salt and turn on the machine; drizzle the oil in through the feed tube. Stop the machine, then taste and add more salt and/or olive oil if necessary. Store, well covered, in the refrigerator (for several days) or the freezer (up to a month).
• Add a couple tablespoons of puree to the cooking liquid of any simmering grain-rice, couscous, or quinoa, for example.
• Use in place of or with tomatoes in pasta sauce. For example, sauté several vegetables and bind them with the puree during the last minute of cooking.
• Fold into omelets or scrambled eggs, with or without cooked vegetables.
• Combine with chopped fresh basil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and minced garlic for a pestolike pasta sauce.
• Emulsify with fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make a beautiful salad dressing.
• Spread on crostini or pizza before baking.
• Use as a finishing sauce for roasted eggplant, zucchini, or other vegetables.
• Serve as a condiment with grilled or roasted fish, meat, or chicken.
• Stir into soups or stews just before serving.
• Mash a couple tablespoons of puree, with a little olive oil, minced garlic, and cracked black pepper, into fresh, salty cheese-like feta or goat-to make a dip for bread or vegetables.

RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the peppers, cover and simmer over very low heat, for about 20 minutes or until tender. Puree the cooked peppers through a food mill to remove the skins. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce is ready to be used like this over steak, grilled polenta, poultry, lamb or grilled seafood or can be enhanced with a few tablespoonfuls of the possible additions.

SPICED PEPPER PURéE

Steps:

• adjust a rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the peppers, turning frequently as they blacken, until they collapse, about 15 minutes. Wrap in aluminum foil and let cool.
• Toast cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally and removing from heat when fragrant. Grind to a powder in a coffee or spice grinder.
• When peppers are cool, remove core, skin and all seeds. Place peppers in a food processor with cumin and ginger; add a large pinch of salt and purée. Stop machine, adjust salt and pepper to taste. Store, well covered, in the refrigerator for several days, or the freezer for up to a month. Return to room temperature before serving.

CRISPY CHICKEN WITH JALAPENO BEURRE BLANC AND SPICY POBLANO PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Chicken:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. In an oven-proof saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sear the chicken, skin side down, until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and put the pan in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, liberally salt a large pot of water and add the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat and cook the potatoes they are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and spread them out a sheet pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake in the oven until golden brown.
• Beurre Blanc: Cut off the tops of the jalapenos. Toss them in a small bowl with the olive oil and transfer them to a small sheet pan. Roast until the skin starts to darken and blister, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the peppers cool a bit. Pull off the skin then cut them in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Dice the jalapenos and set aside.
• In a sauce pot over medium heat, stir together the vinegar, white wine, garlic and thyme. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced and there is only a tablespoon of liquid left in the pot. Discard the garlic clove and thyme sprigs. Add the jalapenos to the reduction. Turn down Reduce the heat to low, then whisk in the butter, little by little, until blended and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm and set aside.
• Pepper puree: Roast and peel the red pepper using the same method as the jalapenos. (To save time, roast both jalapeno and red peppers at the same time.) In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil and the onions. Saute until they become soft, around 3 minutes. Stir in the poblano peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. In a blender or food processor, puree the roasted red peppers, the onion mixture, and chicken stock until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spoon some of the pepper puree onto each serving plate and arrange a chicken breast on top. Drizzle with the beurre blanc and serve the potatoes on the side.

SPICED PEPPER PILAFS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan with a lid. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, then gently cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the tomato purée and spices, and cook for 1 min more. Add the rice, stir to coat, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, tip in the lentils, cover with the lid and leave to cook over a low heat for 15 mins, until the lentils and rice are cooked. Stir through the spinach and mint (see tip below, if freezing).
• Use a sharp knife to slice the top off each pepper. Cut out the middle stalk and scoop out any seeds. Carefully trim the bottoms slightly so they stand upright, but the filling won't fall out. Fill each pepper with the rice mix and place the lid on top. Bake or wrap tightly in cling film or freezer bags and freeze.
• To cook, defrost peppers completely if frozen. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the peppers on a lightly greased baking tray and cook for 25-30 mins or until the peppers have softened. Serve with a green salad tossed with cucumber, herbs and a dollop of yogurt.

ROASTED RED PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Roast your red peppers as you normaly would, on the grill or in the oven.
• Place peppers in a bowl and cover with saran to sweat for about 15 minutes.
• Peel and seed the peppers.
• Puree the seeded peppers in the food processor till smooth.

ROASTED RED PEPPER PURéE

Steps:

• Puree all ingredients in processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)

RED PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a roasting pan with enough foil to fold over the top later. Place the peppers in the pan, and roast, turning the peppers about every 10 minutes. Roast until the peppers collapse, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, fold the foil over the peppers and allow them to cool.
• Working over a bowl to catch the peppers' liquid, remove and discard the core, skin and seeds.
• Place the pepper pulp in a food processor with about 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and turn on the machine; drizzle the oil in through the feed tube. Stop the machine, taste and add additional salt or olive oil, if necessary. Store, well covered, in the refrigerator for several days, or in the freezer for up to a month.