Spiced Pepper Purée Recipes

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.

SPICED CARROT PUREE

Steps:

• Combine the carrots and potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Season the water generously with salt and toss in the cinnamon stick and garlic. Bring the water to a boil and boil until the carrots and potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the water.
• Place the butter in a small saute pan and cook until the butter is melted, browned and smells like hazelnuts. Remove from the heat and stir in the ground cumin, nutmeg and cayenne.
• Pass the carrots and potatoes through a food mill. Stir in the spiced butter vigorously. Taste and make sure the carrot puree is delicious. Re-season if needed. Serve hot.

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.

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.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH SPICY YELLOW PEPPER PURéE

Steps:

• Lightly coat rack of a broiler pan or a baking sheet with cooking spray. Preheat broiler.
• Quarter yellow peppers, discarding stems, seeds, and ribs. Put quartered peppers, skin sides down, on broiler rack or baking sheet and broil about 2 inches from heat until just tender and edges are dark brown, about 10 minutes. In a bowl let peppers steam, covered, 10 minutes. In a blender purée roasted peppers (unpeeled) with 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and pour through a sieve into a small saucepan.
• In a small bowl whisk together mustard, remaining 3/4 teaspoon chili powder, and 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Prepare grill.
• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Brush tops with mustard mixture and grill, coated sides down, on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals about 6 minutes. Turn chicken and grill 6 minutes more, or until cooked through. (Alternatively, chicken may be grilled in 2 batches in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat, turning once, 6 minutes and then baked in a preheated 450° F. oven 5 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through.)
• While chicken is grilling, in a large non-stick skillet heat remaining teaspoon olive oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté pepper strips with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. While pepper strips are sautéing, heat roasted pepper purée over low heat until hot.
• Arrange pepper strips on 4 plates and top with chicken. Drizzle chicken with some sauce and sprinkle with coriander. Serve chicken with rice if desired and remaining sauce on side.

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).

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 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.

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.