I asked my friend Maya what I should make for Spanish month. Half of her family is from the Basque region of Spain, and she goes to visit fairly often.
On her list: Piperade.
It’s like a sauce, but kind of like a relish also. I’ve seen recipes that look more liquidy and some that look more substantial. I opted for something a little more hearty looking, so that’s what you’ll see here today.
An observation: Russians and Persians both have similar dishes to this. I haven’t posted the recipe, but Boyfriend’s mom makes a similar dish to the below. Except it cooks down for hours and is more like a spread.
Wonder what other countries have a dish like this (slow cooked veggies on the stove).
I love this Spanish version – the paprika and cayenne make this dish a little hot. It’s like a slow heat that creeps up on you and makes the dish more interesting as you eat it.
I’d 100% suggest eating this with toast or crunchy bread. You need a vehicle for the soft peppers, onions, and tomato.
I’ve seen a lot of recipes suggest sunnyside eggs on top for a breakfast treat. I think this is genius if you like sunnyside up eggs. I would go with scrambled because I don’t like when my eggs jiggle.
If you want to make this more of a meal, serve with a piece of meat or fish. Rice would also be a nice base if you want something vegetarian.
I loosely followed this recipe from the Splendid Table, but once you make this, you can do it with your eyes closed.
Piperade
Start by prepping your tomatoes. Mark an “x” in the bottom of each tomato, then boil them in hot water for 1 minute. Rinse in cold water and remove the skins. Chop and set aside.
Prep your onions and peppers by slicing them. Heat up the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Saute peppers, onion, and pinch of salt for about 10 minutes. The onions should be translucent and the peppers should soften.
Add the garlic, saute for another minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, paprika, cayenne and another pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes until everything starts to melt together.
Serve with toasted bread and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Danielle
