In the culinary world, there are two distinct types of peppers: sweet and hot, with bell peppers being the sweetest of their kind. It’s also interesting to note that even though prepared as a vegetable, botanically speaking, peppers are actually a fruit!
How to choose
Choose peppers that are heavy for their size, firm, glossy and free of spots and soft or sunken areas. Their flavour changes depending on their colour, with green peppers being the most bitter since they’re harvested while still unripe. As peppers ripen, they gradually become yellow, then orange, and finally red.
Green Pepper | Can be eaten raw or cooked, but avoid overcooking to maintain its crisp vibrant colour!
Yellow Pepper | Its sweet and aromatic flesh adds a welcome dose of colour to all your dishes.
Orange Pepper | Its vibrant and delicate flavour makes it ideal to use in several dishes.
Red Pepper | The sweetest of the gang, its colour varies from light to dark red.
How to store
Place unwashed peppers in a perforated plastic bag so they keep at least one week in your fridge’s crisper drawer.
You can also freeze them after washing and cutting them into large chunks and placing them in an airtight container.
How to enjoy
Extremely versatile, peppers are a staple in a great many dishes: pizzas, omelettes, quiches, spaghetti sauces, simmered dishes, salads, Asian stir-frys, soups, fajitas, and so on. Plus cooking them makes them taste even sweeter!
Did you know? Paprika comes from ripened red peppers that are dried and then ground.
