#3. Piquante peppers.
Piquante peppers, Peppadews, preserved bell peppers, whatever they are to you: they're great. They slice quickly and easily, add spice and sweetness, don't need cooking, are hugely versatile and don't need the seeds taken out or skin coloured. They can go into all kinds of things, but work exceptionally well in Creole, Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine. Go and buy yourself a jar, keep the liquid they come in to deglaze, and get experimenting.
- Blitz them with some black olives, sundried tomatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, shredded onion, chilli flakes and balsamic vinegar. Stuff a butterflied lamb breast with this, tie, sear and braise it with some aromatics (stock, wine etc.) Goes really well with cheat fondant potato, reduced braise liquid and added herbs as jus, dressed greens and focaccia.
- Slice quite a lot of piquantes thinly, drain well and add to some caramelising shallots. Mix into a rouille and serve with some seared mullet, gurnard or similar, chickpeas mashed with chorizo and a herbed lemon dressing or stir the shallot/piquante into gumbo.
- Sear a beef brisket, deglaze the pan with some liquid from a jar of piquantes and put into a slow cooker. Add sliced red onion, chilli, some halved piquantes, lots of garlic and leave for a day. When you get home, halve and roast some aubergines and courgettes, then remove and dice up roughly. Take the beef out, use a spoon and drag bits along the grain to get some fairly large chunks. Drain the veg from the liquid, add to the courgette and aubergine and lay out on a board. Reduce the sauce slightly, taste seasoning and pour over the beef to glaze it a touch. Mound the beef over the veg, pour over what sauce is left and serve with tortillas/taco shells, guacamole, garlic and lime mayo etc.