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 PEPPERS
Brightly
coloured and sweet flavoured, peppers (also known
as bell peppers) are a versatile vegetable that
are eaten both raw and cooked and are used in
many different cuisines including Chinese, Thai,
Mexican, Spanish, Italian and French. A choice
of different colours are available all peppers
are originally green, and as they ripen and sweeten
they turn red, orange or yellow. Peppers are sometimes
skinned before using this can help to enhance
their sweet flavour. When buying look for firm
textured, bright and shiny peppers, and bear in
mind that orange, red and yellow varieties have
a sweeter flavour than green peppers. Avoid bruised,
wrinkled or blemished peppers as they will be
past their best.
How To Use Peppers
Peppers
add a delicious crunch and a splash of colour
to a variety of dishes. Raw peppers are a popular
ingredient in salads and dips. They can also
be added to quiches, pizzas, pasta sauces, stir-fries,
paella, pies, casseroles and vegetable dishes
such as ratatouille. Peppers can also be stuffed
with a savoury filling such as a minced meat
mixture or vegetarian risotto, baked and served
hot or filled with pâté or a soft
cheese mixture and served cold.
How To Prepare Peppers
To
chop peppers, cut in half and remove the seeds
and bitter white pith, wash and dry then cut
into slices or chunks. To prepare peppers for
stuffing, slice off the top with the stalk and
using a small, sharp knife cut out all the white
pith and scrape out all the seeds, rinse thoroughly
with cold water and stuff as required. To skin
peppers, slice them in half lengthways and remove
the seeds and pith. Preheat a grill to high
and place the pepper halves under the grill
until the skin starts to blacken, place in a
plastic bag for 5-10 minutes and the skin should
peel off easily.
How To Cook Peppers
Peppers
can be fried or steamed. To fry, heat 1 tbsp
olive oil in a frying pan and add prepared pepper
chunks or slices, fry for 5-8 minutes until
the pepper is just starting to soften. To steam
whole peppers, place in a steamer for 12-15
minutes or until tender, use sliced in salads,
sauces or casseroles.
How To Store Peppers
Keep
in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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