Piquillo Pepper Spread With Raisins & Pine Nuts

Serves 4

Piquillo peppers are available in specialty food shops. They are well worth the extra effort to find them. Otherwise select jarred pimientos that have a bright red color. Piquillo peppers are a small red pepper with a little tail or “pico.” They are handpicked to ensure their perfect ripeness and shape. They are roasted, causing them to lose over 60% of their weight in liquid, and leaving them with a full intense flavor. They are then hand peeled and de-seeded. No chemicals are used during the cleaning or peeling process. The peppers are not rinsed before they are packed, leaving them with specks of black charred skin – one of the hallmarks of the hand-peeled Piquillo. They are then packed in their own juices. Piquillos have an intense pepper flavor, which is initially sweet and then develops into a warm, spicy finish with a light, smoky taste.”

ingredients

2 tbsp. raisins
1-12 oz. jar of pimientos, preferably Piquillos, cut in 1/2 inch strips
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. minced parsley or cilantro
Salt to taste

directions

Soak the raisins in warm water for about 10 minutes. Drain. Combine the raisins in a bowl with all the other ingredients, except the parsley. To serve sprinkle with parsley and along with crackers.

Source: Sean