TUNA-STUFFED PIQUILLO PEPPERS

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Tuna-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers image

Bright red piquillo peppers from Spain come packed in a tin or jar. The little peppers are roasted and peeled, ready to be used. They can have any number of fillings, but tuna (high-quality tinned tuna) is a clear favorite. Tapas bars often have them stuffed with garlicky salt cod or slices of sheep's milk cheese.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     finger foods, appetizer

Time 20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 (6- to 7-ounce) jar high-quality Spanish or Italian tuna
1 tablespoon small capers or roughly chopped large capers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1/4 cup celery, tender center stalks and leaves
1/2 cup finely diced red onion or chopped scallions
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 piquillo peppers, from a jar
Lettuce leaves, for garnish (optional)
Hard-boiled eggs, cooked for 8 minutes, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Drain the tuna and put it in a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to break tuna into large flakes and push to one side of the bowl.
  • Put capers, parsley, mint, celery and onions on the other side of the bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add red-pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil, then stir the mixture to coat tuna well.
  • Use a teaspoon to fill each pepper with some of the tuna mixture.
  • Arrange stuffed peppers on lettuce leaves on a platter. Garnish with quartered or halved hard-cooked eggs sprinkled with salt. Serve at cool room temperature.

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