Matiz Veggies - Big Flavor in a Small Jar

Here at Culinary Collective we always love sharing stories about the people and farmers behind our best-selling products. Since the beginning, we've been importing the finest Spanish veggies from Pedro Luis. Pedro Luis is a small family-owned company that preserves the piquillo peppers and artichokes that go into our Matiz line of jarred veggies.

Pedro Luis began over 40 years ago in the Navarra region of northern Spain, and is now run by second generation family. If you've ever been to this part of Spain, you know that piquillo peppers are found in just about every tapas bar and on most restaurant menus - either stuffed, on salads or simply all by themselves. Piquillo means "little beak", and it's easy to see how they got their name. These bright red peppers have a triangular beak-like shape, and the flavor is sweet and pungent.

These little peppers are special for a few reasons. Pedro Luis peppers are fire roasted right after harvest, and the char from each pepper is delicately removed by hand, not by pressurized water which rinses away all of the flavor. Also, these peppers are hand-picked in the Ribera del Ebro region of Navarra where piquillo peppers originate, and carry an exclusive seal of authenticity, granted to only those piquillos harvested in that region. 

Pedro Luis also provides the big, beautiful artichoke hearts for our Matiz brand. They are hand-picked and jarred with only a bit of salt - nothing artificial! They melt in your mouth and are perfect on pizza or to pair alongside a few olives and cheese. 

Check out our recipe page for the myriad ways to use piquillo peppers in everyday meals and tapas. ¡Buen provecho!

Five Recipes with Romesco You Can’t Live Without

Here at Culinary Collective, we’re all big fans of romesco. This sauce, originating from Cataluña, is our secret weapon for adding flavor on the fly. Romesco is a sauce made from tomato and ground nuts and traditionally used by Spanish fishermen to add flavor and richness to their weekly catch. Our Matiz Romesco is made with local ingredients sourced by the Molí de Pomerí company in Cataluña.  It is also gluten-free and made with just a few simple, fresh ingredients; olive oil, tomatoes, almonds, hazelnuts, vinegar, garlic, herbs, salt and beet fiber.

Romesco is our secret weapon to making any dish taste better – from roasted fish to pork chops, this sauce can be served on the side or blended into a soup broth to add flavor and texture. Going beyond simple meat and fish, why not try these five creative dishes that highlight the rich flavor of this traditional sauce.

Romesco Pizza

An intense but lovely pizza combination by blog Dolly and Oatmeal –   RomescoPizza with Spiced Chickpeas and Arugula. Feta, pine nuts and olives (but we’d throw on a a few dollops of our Matiz Olivada instead) makes this one a delicious and healthy weeknight keeper.

Baked Eggs

This is just too easy and hearty not to try – BakedEggs Romesco with Kale and Cheese sounds like the ultimate comfort food to us. Nutty, rich Matiz Romesco with bitter greens and salty, pungent cheese is a combination made in heaven.

Fritters

Everyone loves tapas, and these fritters are perfect for our Matiz Romesco – ChickpeaFritters with Romesco. Add a salad and you have an easy, light meal.

Lamb Koftas

Step one: make LambKoftas with Yogurt Mint Sauce. Step two: run to the Mediterranean market and pick up some lovely fresh pita. Step three: wrap the lamb, yogurt sauce and romesco into each pita and serve.

Manchego Bites

The last recipe is a shortcut to elegance when you’re entertaining and want a perfect pairing to a bottle of Spanish red. Break our Matiz Tortas de Aceite into bite-sized pieces and put a dollop of Matiz Romesco on each. Top with thin slices of manchego cheese and chorizo. Warm in oven until cheese just begins to melt. Garnish with parsley and serve. 

How do you enjoy romesco?