Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos de Atún
Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos de Atún
La Cena Ligera: The Gentle Evening
A glass jar of wood-roasted piquillos on the counter. A tin of good oil-packed Spanish Ortiz tuna peeled back. A fork scraping ceramic. These are the ultimate insurance policy against a brutal weeknight. The secret here is the confitado—simmering the peppers in their own juices with olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of sugar to erase the tinny jar flavor and melt the flesh into a sweet, velvety texture that tastes of woodsmoke and rich olive oil. Wipe the olive oil from the plate with a torn heel of bread and call it a night.
Before you start
Hard-boil the eggs.
If you don't already have them in the fridge, boil the eggs, shock them in an ice bath, and peel them before you begin the confit process.
Ingredients
- jarred D.O.P. Piquillo peppers10 oz
- extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- garlic cloves2 small
- granulated sugar1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- high-quality tuna packed in olive oil10 oz
- large eggs2 large
- sweet onion3 tbsp
- anchovy-stuffed green olives6 large
- mayonnaise4 tbsp
- Spanish tomate frito or ketchup1 tbsp
- black pepper1 pinch
- fresh parsley1 tbsp
- flaky sea salt1 pinch
Method
- 01
Confit the piquillo peppers.
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and sliced garlic in a wide skillet over medium-low heat until just fragrant. Lay the empty peppers flat in a single layer, sprinkle with the sugar and kosher salt, and pour the reserved pepper juices directly into the pan.
- 02
Simmer until glazed and velvety.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the peppers halfway through with tongs. The liquid will reduce into a sticky, syrupy red glaze; remove the pan from the heat and let the peppers cool to room temperature in the skillet.
- 03
Mix the tuna filling.
In a medium mixing bowl, vigorously mash the drained tuna, chopped eggs, onion, olives, mayonnaise, and tomate frito with a fork. Keep mashing until you achieve a cohesive, thick, and spreadable paste rather than a chunky deli salad, then season with black pepper.
- 04
Stuff the cooled peppers.
Scrape the tuna paste into a zip-top plastic bag and snip a half-inch off one bottom corner to create a piping bag. Gently pry open the top of each pepper, insert the tip of the bag deep inside, and squeeze to fill them until plump but still intact.
- 05
Dress and serve.
Arrange the stuffed peppers on a platter and scrape up the syrupy, garlicky oil left in the confit skillet to drizzle generously over the top. Finish with a scatter of flaky sea salt and minced fresh parsley.
Notes
Never use water-packed tuna.
Water-packed tuna is dry and lacks the fat required to bind properly with the mayonnaise, resulting in a weeping, sloppy filling. Always seek out Spanish Albacore (Bonito del Norte) packed in olive oil.
Make them ahead of time.
These are actually better the next day after the flavors have melded. Confit and stuff the peppers on a Sunday, store them in the fridge, and pull them out ten minutes before dinner for a zero-effort weeknight meal.
From Cook Spanish in America.