Piment d'Espelette

Piment d'Espelette, an AOP-protected chili from the French Basque Country

Piment d'Espelette is a French chili with AOP protection that may be grown exclusively around the town of Espelette in the Basque Country. We pack it gently in our workshop in Klingenberg am Main. Sun-dried and ground, with a mild-fruity profile, a lightly sweetish note and fine warmth. A heat that warms more than it burns and brings joy to beginners too.

How to use

A classic for Basque dishes: poulet basquaise, axoa and piperade. Refines steak, lamb, fish, seafood and egg dishes. Also in tomato sauce, over foie gras and surprisingly good in chocolate dessert or a praline filling. Scatter in directly or add over the finished dish at the end.

Important: Piment d'Espelette is mild to medium hot, not a habanero. Better to dose more generously than with normal chilis, otherwise the fruity character doesn't come into its own.

Steak with Piment d'Espelette in two steps

1. Before frying, rub the steak with coarse Pakistani crystal salt, sear over high heat and let it rest.
2. After slicing, sieve Piment d'Espelette over it, add a drop of olive oil and a pinch of fleur de sel, serve with grilled cherry tomatoes.

At a glance

• A French AOP chili from Espelette in the Basque Country
• Mild-fruity with fine heat, lightly sweetish
• Sun-dried and ground, without additives
• Workshop quality from Klingenberg am Main
• Versatile for Basque cooking, meat, fish and chocolate

Goes well with

In the paprika-powder range, our noble-sweet paprika from Hungary fits as a mild base and the rose-hot paprika for more heat. For a smoky profile we recommend the mild smoked paprika from Extremadura. Mediterranean companions are our Mallorcan herb garden or the Tuscan pasta spice. For a pepper finish use the Mélange Noir or the Sieben blend. You'll find more Mediterranean items in our Italian Cuisine collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does AOP mean?
AOP stands for "Appellation d'Origine Protégée" and is the French version of the EU protected mark for regional products. Piment d'Espelette may only come from ten municipalities around Espelette in the Basque Country; all other chilis may not call themselves this, even if they look similar.

How hot is Piment d'Espelette?
Mild to medium hot, about 4000 Scoville. For comparison: Tabasco has around 2500, cayenne 30000, habanero 200000. Espelette is thus noticeably milder than cayenne and surprises more with fruit and warmth than with burning heat.

What can I use Piment d'Espelette for?
Classically in Basque cooking with poulet basquaise, axoa, piperade and marmitako. Also with steak, lamb, fish, seafood, egg dishes, foie gras, tomato sauce, cheese and even in chocolate desserts and praline fillings. If you like, you can see it as a salt substitute with a warmth component.

How does Piment d'Espelette differ from noble-sweet paprika?
Noble-sweet paprika is mild without heat, fruity-full-bodied. Piment d'Espelette is mildly hot, sun-dried and more concentrated in aroma. Noble-sweet for colour and fruit, Espelette for warmth and a fine kick.