Manchego & Shrimp Stuffed Piquillos

Winner of the 2007 COPIA Consumer's Choice Award

Submitted by PAZZO Catering
Baldwinsville, New York

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces jamón serrano, diced fine
12 medium or large shrimp, peeled/deveined, shells reserved
1 cup Caroliva olive oil1 large pinch saffron8 ounces manchego cheese, grated or finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
fresh ground pepper to taste
12 piquillo peppers, whole
3 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
12 frisée leaves-washed and air dried

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Render the jamón serrano in a sauté pan over medium heat, stirring often and cooking until crispy. Set jamón aside for garnish and reserve fat for vinaigrette.

While ham is cooking, place olive oil in small sauce pan with shrimp shells and saffron. Heat pan over medium-low heat and simmer 7-10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then strain.  Return oil to sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add shrimp and poach for 4 minutes or until just cooked. Coarsely chop shrimp, reserve oil.

Combine manchego cheese, garlic, parsley, mint, oregano, shrimp and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Divide mixture into 12 equal portions and carefully stuff inside piquillo peppers.

Lay peppers in a baking dish and place in preheated oven until just heated through.

While peppers are in the oven, place sherry wine vinegar in a blender.  With blender on high, drizzle in jamón serrano fat and 3-4 tablespoons of the saffron/shrimp oil. Adjust seasoning.

To Serve

Toss frisée leaves with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette.  Place one leaf in center of plate. Top with one warmed, stuffed piquillo pepper and drizzle with a little vinaigrette. Sprinkle crispy jamón serrano around plate.