This puree is made from rare Espelette peppers, which are cultivated only in the French Basque region that includes just 10 villages. These are grown in Itxassou using sustainable and organic farming methods.
Piment d’espelette is more commonly seen as a dry powder, but we love this paste for its vibrancy and robustly juicy flavor. Emblematic of French Basque cuisine, the espelette pepper is a medium to medium-hot pepper, with a very round, fruity flavor. It has a bit of that “spicy” flavor initially, but with a heat that doesn’t linger. The fruity flavor that it’s known for is sort of a cross between fruity Fresno chilies and earthier dried guajillo or ancho chiles, so it’s very flexible and can work well with pretty much any cuisine. A bit of vinegar keeps it bright in flavor (and acts as a preservative) without overpowering the flavor.
We test everything we sell. Here’s how we’d use this.
Use it anywhere you want a pop of fruity, slightly earthy pepper flavor and a nice burst of heat. It’s delicious out of the jar—try it as a condiment at the table for roast chicken or vegetables and grilled meats. Or incorporate it into a marinade. We also love it mixed into a dip. Try using sour cream, crème fraîche, yogurt, whipped feta or warmed goat cheese, which makes a spread that’s wonderful with crudités, smeared on bread or mixed into cooked grains—or replace the peppers in our Whipped Feta Dip with the puree.