Piquillos stuffed with grilled mackerel rillettes and sheep's milk brousse with herbs, crispy fennel salad with lemon and Javanese long pepper

Ingredients

4 servings

• 12 piquillo peppers
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 300 g mackerel fillets
• 100 g sheep's milk brousse cheese
• 1/2 bunch of dill
• 1/2 bunch of chives
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 lime
• salt
• Java long pepper
• Espelette pepper
• 10 g fennel seeds
• olive oil
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 1/2 lemon
• Java long pepper
• salt
• olive oil

Steps

1. 1

   Piquillos: Wash the peppers.

2. 2

   Unroll 4 sheets of aluminum foil 50cm long and layer them two by two.

3. 3

   Place the small peppers on the sheets, add fine salt and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Mix to coat the peppers with this seasoning, then line them up on the aluminum. Add the sprig of thyme and the crushed unpeeled garlic cloves.

4. 4

   Then place the other two sheets of aluminum on top. Start folding the aluminum foil tightly side by side. The idea is to make a perfectly airtight pouch.

5. 5

   Move the barbecue embers to the side to make room for the pouch. Then place it gently in the empty space and be careful not to pierce it. Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes. The pouch should puff up, which means the folding was done correctly.

6. 6

   Carefully take out the pouch and put it on a dish. Let cool.

7. 7

   Then open the pouch, remove the stems, seeds, and skin of the peppers. Then gently put the peppers in a colander so they lose their cooking juices.

8. 8

   Be careful not to pierce them, you only need the opening at the stem level. Then set aside flat on paper towels.

9. 9

   Grilled mackerel rillettes and sheep's milk brousse with herbs: Remove the bones from the mackerel fillets and put them in a dish. Add fine salt and a drizzle of olive oil, massage lightly.

10. 10

    Put the barbecue grill at the lowest setting with very hot embers. Place the fish fillets skin-side down on the grill. Then place the fennel seeds on the embers below the mackerel. This will smoke the fish and give it an aniseed taste.

11. 11

    Close the barbecue lid and let cook for 3 minutes.

12. 12

    Then, using a spatula, gently remove the fish fillets into the dish. Flake the fish with a fork and keep it cool.

13. 13

    Wash the herbs and the lime. Finely chop the dill, chives, and red onion. Whisk the brousse to soften it and add the herbs and onion. Then add the zest of ½ lime and its juice. Then a tablespoon of olive oil.

14. 14

    Using a garlic press, add the garlic pulp to the preparation.

15. 15

    When the mackerel is cold, add it to the cheese.

16. 16

    Add two good turns of the long pepper mill, a pinch of salt and Espelette pepper.

17. 17

    Mix everything with a spatula and adjust the seasoning.

18. 18

    Using a spoon, fill the 12 small peppers with the rillettes and refrigerate.

19. 19

    Crispy fennel salad with lemon and Javanese long pepper: Wash the fennel and trim the base.

20. 20

    Using a mandoline set to 2 mm, slice the fennel by holding the branches perpendicular to the mandoline (upwards). Start with the bulb. The branches will help you hold it for slicing!

21. 21

    Put everything in a salad bowl.

22. 22

    Add the zest and juice of ½ lemon. Then two tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and two turns of the long pepper mill.

23. 23

    Mix everything and let marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

24. 24

    Plating: In a shallow stoneware plate, place 3 stuffed Piquillos, then add the fennel salad in the center, giving it some height. Chef's tip: You can add shavings of Pecorino Pepato.