Basque Piperade Stew

Name: Basque Piperade Stew
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 4+
Ingredients: 4 tbsp Mellow Yellow cold pressed rapeseed oil; 1 clove of garlic; 1 large white or yellow onion; 3 red peppers; 3 yellow peppers; 200ml of dry white wine; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 2 beef tomatoes, seeds removed; 2 bay leaves

1 hour

This Basque Piperade Stew by James Peck is a classic dish from the Basque region of Spain, celebrated for its bold flavours and long culinary tradition. By charring the peppers, you introduce deep smoky notes that blend beautifully with the sweetness of slow‑cooked onions, creating a rich, rustic Basque stew packed with flavour.

This versatile dish can be enjoyed simply with fresh crusty bread, or elevated into a restaurant‑style meal with pan‑fried cod loins, rice, and tenderstem broccoli. A must‑try for anyone who loves Basque cuisine, Spanish comfort food, or vibrant Mediterranean recipes.

Method

1

Burn the skin of the peppers on an open flame (a gas hob or camping stove works well). Alternatively, you can roast in the oven at the highest temperature – 230C – for 20-30 minutes until the skin has started to char. Leave to sweat for about an hour in a bowl covered with cling film.
2

Once the peppers have cooled, use a knife to scrape off the burnt skin from the peppers, then finely slice them.
3

Finely dice the tomatoes, roughly chop the garlic and half and slice the onion.
4

Pour 2 tbsp of Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil in a large sauté pan and add the garlic. Cook for couple of minutes. Add the onions and cook slowly until softened, this should take around half an hour. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, sweet paprika and smoked paprika. Continue to cook for a few more minutes. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, add the bay leaves and leave to simmer for a few minutes. Mix in the peppers and cook for another half an hour. Add the tomatoes and continue to gently simmer.
5

Pour 2 tbsp of Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil into the stew and mix well, continue to simmer and stir for a couple more minutes until the oil has emulsified. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper or sugar if needed.
6

This Basque Piperade Stew is delicious served with fluffy rice, tenderstem broccoli and cod.