Early this year we saw indoors many kind of peppers and chilies, now in September many of them are ready and it’s a challenge to use them all.
We love to prepare them in the oven (see also……) as still green; we do not use only the “Pimientos de Padron” peppers for this recipe, we found that most peppers are great for this preparation.
I bought also some small round peppers called “ciliegia piccante” peppers, which are very often served stuffed and preserved in oil.
This time I used to prepare this recipe and as we had different kind of small (chili) peppers, we decided to use them in this way. The “pimientos de Padron” I got are quite hot (may be as we had a hot and dry summer), and with this preparation we can reduce the heat and prepare something which can be enjoyed in winter as well.
We prepared two kinds of stuffing: one with tuna fish and the other with cream cheese.
As pepper we used: hot “cherry peppers”, some “aji amarillo”, “Bishop’s Crown” Peppers, small mini peppers (as for snacks), “pimientos de Padron” peppers and some simply sweet small round peppers.
All peppers where precooked in a vinegar solution and the jars were sterilized for longer storage.
Try these stuffed pepper recipe, this makes a truly impressive antipasti dish. These small peppers are bursting with flavour, thanks to the herbed fillings.
Small Chili Peppers Stuffed and Preserved in Oil
Ingredients
All quantities of the recipes are only a reference, you should adapt it to your taste
First step: Boiling
- Mini peppers or chilies, stem and seed removed
- 250 ml white wine vinegar
- 50 ml water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Second step: tuna stuffing
- Drained tuna fish in oil
- Capers to taste
- Chopped green olives to taste
- Salt to taste
- Dried basil to taste
- Pepper to taste to taste
Third step: cream cheese stuffing
- Cream cheese with herbs
- Pitted big green olives
- Herbs or bay leaves, optional
Fourth step: preservation in oil
- 200-450 ml jars
- Olive oil or sunflower oil (or mixture) as needed
Procedure
- Remove carefully the stem and all seeds from the peppers using surgical gloves.
- Bring to boil vinegar, water and salt.
- Boil the peppers in bathes for 2 minutes, drain them quickly and place them on a towel cut side down to dry until next day (or at least 4 hours).
- Mix the ingredients for the tuna fish mix in bowl, blend shortly to make them smoother
- Fill peppers with tuna fix mixture and top with one additional capper. Place them into a small jar (filling looking outside).
- Fill peppers with herbed cream chess and close the opening with halved olives. Place them into a jar and add some herbs (I used thyme and bay leaves).
- Fill the jars with oil trying to release the air bubbles from the gaps. Close well the jars.
- Place the jars into big pot (or use a canner). Fill with warm water. The water must cover the jars by 2 cm. Bring to a rolling boil, cover the pot and boil for 30 minutes if using 250-450 ml jars. Let cool for 20 minutes before removing the jars from the pot.
- Enjoy after at least one week. If correctly canned this can be stored for a few months in the fridge or a cool and dark place.
Suggestions:
- Remains of the oil can be added to your tomato sauce recipe.
- Do not throw away flesh and seeds, soften them gently in olive oil for about 15 minutes, and place them into a teabag, transfer with the oil into a jar and cover with more olive oil. Keep cover with oil. You will get a wonderful hot and spicy olive oil for you dishes. During the storage this will turn hotter.
artandkitchen 