TUNA-STUFFED PIQUILLO PEPPERS

Tuna-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers image

Provided by David Tanis

Time 20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 (6- to 7-ounce) jar high-quality Spanish or Italian tuna
1 tablespoon small capers or roughly chopped large capers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1/4 cup celery, tender center stalks and leaves
1/2 cup finely diced red onion or chopped scallions
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 piquillo peppers, from a jar
Lettuce leaves, for garnish (optional)
Hard-boiled eggs, cooked for 8 minutes, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

Drain the tuna and put it in a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to break tuna into large flakes and push to one side of the bowl.
Put capers, parsley, mint, celery and onions on the other side of the bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add red-pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil, then stir the mixture to coat tuna well.
Use a teaspoon to fill each pepper with some of the tuna mixture.
Arrange stuffed peppers on lettuce leaves on a platter. Garnish with quartered or halved hard-cooked eggs sprinkled with salt. Serve at cool room temperature.