Stuffed padron peppers with red pepper and tomato dip
Padron peppers (pimientos de padrón) originally hail from Galacia but we’ve discovered they also like growing on our farm in France. Some are hot and some are not – it's impossible to tell which is which. Serve these vegetarian stuffed peppers with their bold, creamy dip and cold beers, or as a starter.
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- splash sherry vinegar
- brown sugar, for sprinkling
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche (or plain yoghurt)
- handful fresh basil leaves, shredded
- olive oil
- 200g padron peppers
- 100g High Weald soft sheep's cheese
- salt and pepper
Method
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
-
Step 2
First make the dip: Put the red pepper, tomatoes and unpeeled garlic in a small baking dish. Splash over a little of the vinegar and sprinkle with a little sugar, salt and pepper.
-
Step 3
Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the pepper skin is blackening and the tomatoes very soft.
-
Step 4
Put the pepper in a small freezer bag for 10 minutes, then remove and peel off the skin, scrape out the seeds and discard.
-
Step 5
Put the pepper flesh in a food processor with the tomatoes, garlic (remove the skins) and any juices in the baking dish. Add the crème fraîche and blitz until smooth.
-
Step 6
Check the seasoning, adding a little more vinegar too if needed. Put in a bowl and scatter over the basil leaves. Grind some extra black pepper over the top and drizzle over a little olive oil to serve.
-
Step 7
Carefully make a length-ways slit in each pepper. Stuff each pepper with the cheese and press the slits together to close.
-
Step 8
Heat just enough oil to coat a heavy based frying pan. Fry the peppers until they are blistering and wilting slightly. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
-
Step 9
Serve with the dip.
