Stuffed Peppers with Cod Fish - Jardins Fleuris & ALT Sparkling
Recipe & Food-Styling: Mattia Risalti, Photo & Styling:Oliver Schwarzwald
Red in Red
Welcome to the fourth stop on the Tour de Sans, our culinary adventure through the cycling nations of Europe, featured in the latest edition of the Highlevelzero Dining Club Magazine.
And now, we're heading to Spain, the home of the third Grand Tour, the Vuelta, which takes place late in the year. It's a race where occasionally, riders who have remained fit and healthy throughout the year attempt to reach for the stars once more. Similar to the French and Italian fans, Spanish fans are also renowned for their enthusiasm and unwavering loyalty to their riders.
This delightful dish is a variation on flavors of Spain called Pimientos del Piquillo rellenos de bacalao. Roasted, these red peppers are generously filled with a tantalizing mixture of tender, shredded cod. And the drink is also a light and playful take on a alcoholfree white Sangria.
The following beverage recommendation below comes from Jennifer Kießling, the owner of the renowned Mindful Drinking Club in Berlin. With her expertise, she has guided all the recipes for our Tour de Sans. You can purchase these excellent drinks either in Berlin or conveniently online at www.mindfuldrinkingclub.de.
We salute Alberto Contador, the overall leader in the Spanish Vuelta. As a native of Spain, his victories in 2008, 2012 and 2014 were a major success. Contador is one of only five riders to have won all three Grand Tours: the Giro d’Italia (2008), the Tour de France (2007 and 2009) and the Vuelta a España (2008, 2012 and 2014).
Recipe & Food-Styling: Mattia Risalti, Photo & Styling:Oliver Schwarzwald
Stuffed Peppers with Cod Fish
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
300g of salted cod (previously soaked, deboned, and skinless)
600g of water
150g of sunflower oil
130g of extra virgin olive oil with a mild flavor
2 bay leaves
Peel of 1 lemon
16 roasted peppers in a jar
Black pepper
Salt
For Serving:
100g canola oil
20g capers
10g cod caviar
Method:
In a small pot, heat up the sunflower oil to a temperature between 160 and 170°C (measured with a thermometer). Place the capers into the hot oil and fry them until they pop open. Be careful not to overcook them. Remove the fried capers from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen paper (paper towels) to remove excess oil.
Make sure your cod is boneless and skinless. Cut it into small pieces and place them in a saucepan, covering them with cold water (use twice the weight of the fish in water).
Add the bay leaves and lemon peel to the saucepan. Bring it to a boil with the lid on and cook the codfish for about 30 minutes, until it absorbs all the cooking liquid and becomes dry and tender. As it dries, mash it with a fork to break it into small pieces. Be careful not to make it too dry or stick to the pot.
Transfer the cooked codfish to a serving dish and let it cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the olive oil and canola oil together.
Once the codfish has cooled slightly, transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer or a container suitable for electric beaters. Using electric beaters, start mixing the codfish at low speed, adding the oil mixture in a thin stream, little by little. Allow the oil to be well absorbed before adding more. Continue beating at medium-high speed, stopping occasionally until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and compact.
Prepare the roasted peppers by removing them from the jar along with any juice, cleaning off any black bits from the roasting, and removing any remaining seeds. Drain the excess juice.
Carefully fill the peppers with the cod mixture, taking care not to break them as they are delicate.
Serve the stuffed peppers with fried capers and a garnish of cod caviar. Enjoy your delicious stuffed peppers with cod fish!
Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald
JARDINS FLEURIS & ALT SPARKLING BLANC DE BLANCS:
A light and playful take on a white Sangria to complement the creamy filling and tickle your tongue. Bergamot and elderfiower from the Jardins Fleuris, a non-alcoholic Aperitif from France, combined with a floral and mildly tart pure quince juice (Gutshof Kraatz), topped up with the crisp Sparkling Blanc de Blancs from ALT. and soda to taste. (Jennifer Kießling)
Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald