Peppers

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Pepper, sweet, green raw

Description and History

Bell peppers, also known as sweet peppers are beautifully shaped, glossy in appearance and come in a variety of vivid colours such as green, red, yellow, orange, purple, brown and black. Despite their varied palette, all are the same plant, known scientifically as Capsicum annuum, and are members of the nightshade family, which also includes potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant.

Sweet peppers are plump, bell shaped vegetables that usually feature either three or four lobes.

Like their relatives, the chili peppers, bell peppers originated in South America with seeds of a wild variety dating back to 5000 BC. Like many other foods native to this region, sweet peppers were carried throughout the world by the Spanish and Portuguese explorers who travelled around the continents.

Uses

▸Puree roasted bell peppers and combine with garlic as a pasta sauce.

▸Stuff with chilli, pasta or rice

▸Add to soups, stews, casseroles, omelettes, and quiches

▸Top toasted garlic bread with roasted peppers and olive oil

▸Dry for future use

Storage Tips

Store peppers in the vegetable crisper section of your refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to a week. Green peppers will last longer than red. Sweet peppers can be frozen without first being blanched. It is better to freeze them whole since there will be less exposure to air which can degrade both their nutrient content and flavour.

Cooking Tips

Wash peppers just before using. If you wish to remove the skin before using the peppers in cooked dishes, blanche the peppers briefly to loosen the skin and then peel off.