Bell peppers come in a variety of colors. Typically the closer the color is to red, the sweeter the flesh will be. Bell peppers are a staple in Spanish cuisine. They are very versatile and show up in ethnic foods from every continent except Antarctica.
Estimated Picking Dates: mid August to late September
Cleaning/Preparing: Wash bell peppers before use, but not before storage unless vegetables are very dirty and wet! Simply rinse in running cold water. Rub through hand to remove any dirt. Let drip dry in colander or towel. If vegetables are not visibly dirty, often I will cut out core before rinsing so that I can rinse of dirt and loose seeds in the same step.
If you want to make sure your vegetables are sanitized use the following procedure: Veggie Wash
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 cup cold tap water in a spray bottle
Mix, shake well, and spritz on the vegetables. Rinse vegetables. Works best if cleanser remains on vegetables for 2 minutes before rinsing. Proceed with standard drying.
Storage: Loosely tied plastic bag (grocery bag with handles tied closed) and stored in the refrigerator. Or paper bag in crisper drawer. Refrigerated bell peppers should last at least a week. I like to chop the peppers and freeze them in small freezer zip top bags for quick and easy meal prep.
Preparing: On a cutting board with a utility knife, cut off the stem end. Split in half length wise and remove pith and seeds. Rinse of seeds if you want to remove all the seeds quickly. Pith and seeds are usually not hot and can be eaten, but the texture does not appeal to most. Chop to desired size pieces for recipe.
Featured Recipe: Stuffed Bell Peppers
Other common uses: I add bell peppers to almost any savory dish including eggs, hash browns, sandwiches, salads, Alfredo, spaghetti, soups, stir fries, and casseroles. They add a sweet slightly pungent flavor, but rarely any heat.
Substitutes: Bell peppers of any color will add a similar texture, but green and purple bell peppers are sharper in flavor while the bright colored bells are sweet. If you do not have bell peppers you could try broccoli stalks or french cut green beans for texture or garlic, cumin, ginger, mustard powder, and oregano for flavor replacement.
Varieties:
Green: Stores well, more of a bitter flavor
Purple: Stores well, same flavor as green bells, color does not stay when cooked, so best served raw on salads or veggie tray
Yellow, Orange, Red: Does not last as along as green bells because of higher sugar content and ripeness. Very sweet flavor.
Cleaning/Preparing: Wash bell peppers before use, but not before storage unless vegetables are very dirty and wet! Simply rinse in running cold water. Rub through hand to remove any dirt. Let drip dry in colander or towel. If vegetables are not visibly dirty, often I will cut out core before rinsing so that I can rinse of dirt and loose seeds in the same step.
If you want to make sure your vegetables are sanitized use the following procedure: Veggie Wash
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 cup cold tap water in a spray bottle
Mix, shake well, and spritz on the vegetables. Rinse vegetables. Works best if cleanser remains on vegetables for 2 minutes before rinsing. Proceed with standard drying.
Storage: Loosely tied plastic bag (grocery bag with handles tied closed) and stored in the refrigerator. Or paper bag in crisper drawer. Refrigerated bell peppers should last at least a week. I like to chop the peppers and freeze them in small freezer zip top bags for quick and easy meal prep.
Preparing: On a cutting board with a utility knife, cut off the stem end. Split in half length wise and remove pith and seeds. Rinse of seeds if you want to remove all the seeds quickly. Pith and seeds are usually not hot and can be eaten, but the texture does not appeal to most. Chop to desired size pieces for recipe.
Featured Recipe: Stuffed Bell Peppers
Other common uses: I add bell peppers to almost any savory dish including eggs, hash browns, sandwiches, salads, Alfredo, spaghetti, soups, stir fries, and casseroles. They add a sweet slightly pungent flavor, but rarely any heat.
Substitutes: Bell peppers of any color will add a similar texture, but green and purple bell peppers are sharper in flavor while the bright colored bells are sweet. If you do not have bell peppers you could try broccoli stalks or french cut green beans for texture or garlic, cumin, ginger, mustard powder, and oregano for flavor replacement.
Varieties:
Green: Stores well, more of a bitter flavor
Purple: Stores well, same flavor as green bells, color does not stay when cooked, so best served raw on salads or veggie tray
Yellow, Orange, Red: Does not last as along as green bells because of higher sugar content and ripeness. Very sweet flavor.