For her first Chef in Residence recipe of October, Noreen Wasti has shared with us a warming Seared Paneer with Fragrant Sautéed Peppers.
"Paneer is a super versatile pressed fresh cheese originating from the Indian subcontinent — it’s great in curries, stews, seared, marinated, and more. I personally love it seared as it becomes golden and laced with crispy edges which are so delicious."
"For this recipe I sear the paneer in AWAKE olive oil and pair it alongside the most gorgeous sautéed Jimmy Nardello peppers that I cook down with shallots, garlic, turmeric, chili flakes, nigella seeds, and a splash of PARASOL vinegar for a hint of brightness." -Noreen Wasti
Ingredients
- 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
- 1/2 pound (about 5) Jimmy Nardello peppers*, stems removed and sliced in rings
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 6 ounce slab of paneer*
- Handful fresh cilantro, to finish
- 1 Tbsp of Brightland PARASOL champagne vinegar
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp of Brightland AWAKE olive oil
- Note on peppers: Jimmy Nardello are a mild and super sweet frying pepper, if you can’t find them feel free to use any sweet red pepper such as Cubanelles or Italian long peppers.
- Note on paneer: This is the entire slab of SĀCH Foods paneer, feel free to substitute with any other brand available with a similar weight.
"Make a meal out of it and enjoy with a plate of fluffy, steamed basmati rice — simple, quick, and so satisfying. I was lucky enough to use SĀCH Foods paneer for this recipe, a small-batch, organic, handcrafted paneer with amazing texture and taste — highly recommend!" -Noreen Wasti
Instructions
- 1 Heat 1/4 cup of the AWAKE olive oil in a medium-size sauté pan over medium heat.
- 2 Once the oil is glistening add the shallots, garlic, turmeric, red chili flakes, nigella seeds and let bloom for 2 minutes.
- 3 Add the sliced peppers with the PARASOL vinegar and salt, sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring every so often until the peppers are soft and almost jammy (lower the heat to medium-low if the garlic starts browning too fast).
- 4 Remove the sautéed peppers from the pan onto a plate and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.
- 5 Place the same pan back over medium heat with one tablespoon of AWAKE olive oil.
- 6 Once the oil is glistening add the slab of paneer and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- 7 To serve ~ slice the seared paneer in wedges and serve with the sautéed peppers and a generous garnish of fresh cilantro (also great alongside steamed basmati rice).
