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The Basque region of France is famous for its piperade, a unique sauce of tomatoes and peppers—including dried and ground “piment d’Espelette” (or Espelette pepper), a local red chile with a deliciously smoky, piquant bite. Our piperade, served over hearty lamb and beef patties, features small, seasonal sweet peppers. On the side, for double the allium flavor, we’re topping our garlic-infused rice with sautéed scallions.

Ethan Mick

with Sweet Peppers & Garlic Rice

Basque-Style Lamb & Beef Piperade

Ground Lamb & Beef Blend

Long Grain White Rice

Summer Sweet Peppers

Garlic

Scallions

Parsley

Tomato Paste

Shallot

Sherry Vinegar

Ground Espelette Pepper

Panko Breadcrumbs

Sliced Almonds

Ingredients

[Wash and dry the fresh produce.](#) [Peel](#) and [mince the garlic.](#) Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice. Finely chop the almonds. [Finely chop the parsley leaves and stems.](#) Cut off and discard the stem ends of the peppers; remove and discard the ribs and seeds, then cut into ¼-inch-thick rings. Peel and thinly slice the shallot.

Prepare the ingredients:

In a small pot, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add **half the garlic**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the **rice**, **a big pinch of salt** and **1½ cups of water**. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside in a warm place.

Make the garlic rice:

While the rice cooks, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the **scallions**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Add **¼ cup of water** and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the scallions have softened and the water has cooked off; [season with salt and pepper to taste.](#) Transfer the to a bowl and set aside in a warm place. Wipe out the pan.

Cook the scallions:

While the rice continues to cook, in a large bowl, combine the **ground lamb and beef**, **almonds**, **remaining garlic**, **breadcrumbs** and **all but a big pinch of the parsley**; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix to combine. Using your hands, form the mixture into 6 oval-shaped, 1-inch-thick patties. Transfer to a plate. In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer to a plate, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan.

Form & brown the patties:

Add the **peppers** to the pan; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the **shallot**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the **tomato paste**; cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until dark red. Add the **vinegar** and **¾ cup of water (be careful, as the liquid may splatter)**; cook, stirring and scraping up any fond, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thickened.

Make the sauce:

Add the **browned patties** and **¼ cup of water** to the pan. Cook, frequently spooning the sauce over the patties, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the patties are thoroughly coated and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished patties and sauce between 2 dishes. Garnish with the **ground Espelette pepper** and **remaining parsley**. Divide the **garlic rice** between 2 separate dishes and top with the **cooked scallions**. Enjoy!