Sole with Piquillo Pepper Sauce

Recipe courtesy of the Admiral Bistro at Metropolitan Markets
Serves 4

Ingredients:

10-12  Matiz Navarro Organic Piquillo Peppers
1 clove garlic
4 tbsp La Masia Sherry Vinegar
1/2 cup  (plus 2 tbsp for the skillet) Priorat Natur Neus Extra Virgin Arbequina Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
4 (4 oz) filets of sole
Flour for dusting
Parsley for garnish

In a blender or food processor, puree the peppers and garlic until smooth. gradually add the 1/2 cup olive oil, then vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Dust the filets of sole with flour.
Heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet.
Brown filets for 1 minute on each side.
Place the fish on a heated serving platter.
Pour the red pepper sauce around the filets.
Garnish with Parsley.
Serve at once with garlic roasted red potatoes.

Note: Other white fish such as Dover sole, Cod or Halibut can be substituted.
Wine Suggestion: serve with a fruity Rose de provence

Organic Chestnuts--not just for the Holidays

By Sue Ann Colvin
When one thinks of chestnuts more often than not, images of holidays and roasted chestnuts come to mind as popularized in America by the famous Christmas Song, Merry Christmas to You, penned by Mel Torme and Robert Wells in 1946. It's no wonder it is celebrated in song, this delicious and nutritious nut has survived blights, deforestation, and forest fires. It a food that you can survive on.



Chestnuts have a low calorie content which likens them to a grain. They contain more starch than the potato with a healthy dose of vitamin C and trace minerals. To get the most nutrition out of a chestnut it must be grown in a nutrient rich soil.

 Matiz Gallego Organic Chestnuts are rich in nutrients from the soil of the beautiful Galicia region of Northwestern Spain where the mountains meet the sea and the ancient castaño or Chestnut trees survive and thrive.

Chestnuts were introduced from Asia by the Romans in 450 BC, chestnuts remain a core part of the Galician cuisine. 

Most farmers in the region grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and depend on cooperative warehouses to sell their small but hearty chestnut crops. Planting chestnut trees is an act of faith in the future. It takes fifteen years for a tree to begin producing.

Matiz Gallego Organic Chestnuts are purchased from a small company that meets the criteria of A Rooted Foods product, to learn more about Rooted Foods visit rootedfoods.org. The Ecologic Agricultural Commission of Galicia is the local institution with audits the farmers to ensure that they are following all of the organic certification guidelines.

Chestnut Recipes:

Chestnut Butter

2 cups Matiz Gallego Chestnuts

1 cup honey
1 tsp. Mexican Vanilla Plantation vanilla extract

Chestnut butter has a mild and sweet taste, use as a dip for apple or pear slices or spread on bread with your favorite jam. Makes a perfect filling for sugar cookies.

Candied Chestnuts

1 cup Matiz Gallego Chestnuts
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. Mexican Vanilla Plantation vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Whisk together maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon.
Drizzle over chestnuts and mix until coated.
Place on sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 min.

Candied chestnuts are great on their own or add these as a topping for coffee cake or ice cream.



Sweetened Chestnuts
Add these sweetened chestnuts to a salad, rice or squash.

1 cup Matiz Gallego Chestnuts
1/2 cup agave
1/4 tsp. salt.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, place on sheet pan and bake at 350 for 10-15.


Recipes developed by Heather Curtis, our in-house baker extraordinaire

A Pepper Paradise

by Sue Ann Colvin

Navarra shares the La Ribera del Ebro (The Ubro River) with its neighbor, Basque Country. Peppers abound in this region. The fertile lands in the river valley are home to the renowned Pimientos del piquillo de Lodosa (Piquillo Peppers).


Photo by Natmurua


Piquillo or Pico means "little beak" and this pepper is named for its distinctive pointed shape. Piquillos are mildly spicy and not at all hot. For generations these delicious peppers have been picked and produced almost entirely by hand, using no chemicals in the washing, roasting and peeling process. Matiz piquillo peppers are roasted in wood-burning ovens, the aroma lingers as you open the jar. The thin skin is hand- peeled before being packed into jars. The rich smoky flavor of the piquillo adds an elegance to a salad or sandwich. (I love them on grilled cheese with a slice of avocado)

Piquillo peppers imported to the U.S. carry an exclusive seal of authenticity, granted only to those pepper that are hand-picked in this region.

Tuna salad with Greens and Piquillo Peppers
Recipe adapted from The Cuisines of Spain Exploring Regional Home Cooking by Teresa Barrenechea

Serves 4

Please note: her recipe calls for fresh tuna, I have adapted using canned, hand caught Bonito from Spain.

1 tin of Bonito tuna
1 tsp. Sea salt (plus some for sprinkling)
3 tablespoons of Spanish Olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups of Boston, romaine or other leafy lettuce
1/2 cup Sherry Vinaigrette (see below for recipe)
1-2 jars of Matiz piquillo peppers
2 scallions, including the tender green tops, cut on he diagonal into 1/2
inch pieces.

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and the 1 tsp. of salt with the tuna (don't break it apart yet) Sear the coated tuna in a frying pan, reserving the oil mixture. turn over and sear more adding some of the oil mixture. Let cool.

Tear the lettuce into bit-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of Sherry Vinaigrette and toss. Divide the greens among 4 plates.

Halve the piquillo peppers lengthwise and unfold each half to yield 2 triangles. Place 4 of the pepper triangles on the center of each bed of greens, with their peaks pointing to the plate rim in a star pattern.

When the tuna has cooled, use your fingers to break into flakes. Place the tuna in the center of each plate without covering the peppers completely. Sprinkle with scallions, drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the salad and serve.

Sherry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup of Sherry vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teas. sea salt
pinch of sugar

Pour vinegar into a small bowl. Slowly add oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Add salt and sugar and whisk. This mixture will keep up to a week in the fridge. (Mix well before using)

New Items from Spain

Matiz Gallego Lemon Sardines – Galicia, Spain
The hugely popular Matiz sardines are now available packed in lemon. These sardines are harvested off the coast of Galicia, known for its exceptional seafood using traditional methods that respect the biological cycles of the species and avoid harm to other sea creatures.

Once harvested, the sardines are prepared by hand using old master cannery know-how and then packed with natural lemon and sunflower oil to produce a sardine that is moist, tender, and uncommonly flavorful.
Size: 4.2 oz tins

Peregrino Jamon Serrano with NO added nitrates – Rioja, Spain

This signature ham of Spain uses a unique curing process that produces a ham with significantly less fat and salt, a fuller flavor, and a firmer texture than prosciutto. Traditionally, fresh Serrano hams are cured in the mountain air for 12 -18 months.

The Peregrino hams have no added nitrates, using only sea salt and time to achieve their traditional naturally cured flavor.
Size: 4 oz re-sealable pouches with hang tags


Matiz Marcona Almonds in Retail Tubs – Murcia, Spain

These marcona almonds are unbeatable!

Marcona almonds are known as the chef's choice in almonds.
Their higher fat content gives them an unsurpassed taste and texture. Our olive oil fried and salted almonds are now available in 4 oz retail packs in both varieties: with or without skins. Great for cooking, baking, or just noshing on.

Size: 4 oz plastic tubs


Corazon del Sol Organic Quince Paste – Andalucia, Spain The extremely popular Corazon del Sol quince paste is now available in organic.

This all-natural extra-extraordinary quince paste from the south of Spain has a deep color and rich flavor. Try it on toast or crackers, or do as the Spaniard do and spread some on Spanish Manchego cheese and watch your guests fight for the last bite!

Size: 240 gram plastic tub

A Chocolate Lover's Dream

We have long known that Spain's premier chocolatier, Blanxart stands in a class of its own and staff writer, Robby at Candy Addict agrees. Read Robby's review of Blanxart's latest creation, Sobores.

Remarkable Palate Interview

Learn more about Culinary Collective's products and our new Rooted Foods initiative by listening to Chef Mark Tafoya's interview with our own Betsy Power. Mark took time out to speak with Betsy about our exciting line up of products from Spain and Latin America

Visit Mark's blog, Remarkable Palate or Follow this link to hear the interview.

Pass the Salts and Peppers, Please.

by Sue Ann Colvin

Salt and pepper, the staples on every restaurant table in America leave a lot to be desired once your pallet becomes familiar with the variety of sea salts and array of peppers available today. Marinating meats in smoked sea salt and coating vegetables with powdered peppers has replaced the standard fare of "salt and pepper". The choices in peppers are plentiful from just a bit of warmth to a burning heat; peppers add zing to any dish.

Photo, Salt & Pepper Love, courtesy of Elston

The first stop on the pepper map is the Pays Basque!

The Basque region is in the northernmost region of Spain bordering France, in the foothills of the western Pyrenees mountain range, spreading westward along the Bay of Biscay.



Photo courtesy of Bernard

The Basque Country stretches beyond the official borders between France and Spain. The Basques, call their nation Euskal Herria, or Land of the Basque language. The Basque language has been spoken for over 5000 years and continues to be spoken in cities and throughout the countryside. (Map of Basque Country)

Today three million Basques maintain their traditions and happily for the rest of us, their cuisine. Teresa Barrenechea, prize winning author of The Basque Table and The Cuisines of Spain writes in the latter: "We Basques live for cooking and eating." When asked to describe Basque cuisine Barrenechea states: ..."my standard is that it is deeply felt, honors tradition, and respects the natural flavors of the ingredients."

The Espelette pepper has been grown for generations in only 10 villages along the Spanish-French border. It is not a hot pepper but the flavor is warm with touch of heat.

Our Piment d'Espelette is brought to you from a small producer in the town of Espelette, one of 10 towns where denomination of origin Piment d'Espelette is grown.

Paired with chocolate in the 1700’s this pepper is used for coating hams in the Basque region. I was intrigued by the idea of pairing chocolate with pepper and found a great recipe that does just that.


Chocolate Chili Bites
Recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini.com

200g (2 sticks) butter
200g or one package Blanxart Taza powder
250g (1 1/4 C) sugar
5 eggs
1 rounded Tbsp all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp ground Piment d'Espelette -- (adjust to your taste)

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Melt the butter with the chocolate in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. If melting in the microwave, be sure to do it slowly, blending with a spoon between each pass.

Transfer into a mixing bowl, add in the sugar, mix with a wooden spoon and let cool a little. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well with the spoon after each addition. Add a rounded tablespoon of flour and the chili powder and mix well.

Pour the dough in the petit four molds, and put into the oven to bake for ten to twelve minutes. The top should look set, but the inside should still be on the soft side. (be sure to use a cooking spray if you're using tin petit four molds, as I did. It can be a bit tricky to get them out without falling apart)

Photo courtesy of Lisa Norwood

(I topped these with a sweet pepper, not a cherry. I used some of the pepper to decorate the plate)

Allow the mini bites to cool down enough to unmold them, then turn them out on a rack to cool completely while you cook the other batches. Store in a plastic container, refrigerate, and take out about an hour prior to serving the next day.

These are delicious treats, you don't taste the pepper until after you swallow. Not hot, the pepper adds a zest to this chocolate goodness.

(Yields 72 mini bites.)