Sweet Peppers
Hot and sweet peppers are all related, but it wasn’t until about one
hundred years ago that the sweet peppers we know today were bred from
the hotter varieties that first made the transatlantic voyage. Sweet
peppers are relatively new on the culinary scene. They play such a
large part in the modern cooking, though; it is hard to believe they
haven’t always been as important a flavoring element as onions or
garlic.
The common red bell pepper is the same as the green. It has simple been
left on the plant until fully ripe. (In fact, almost all peppers, sweet
and hot, will turn from their initial green to red if they are left to
mature on the plant). We are no longer limited to these two familiar
peppers. A whole spectrum of very colorful, super sweet, think-skinned
peppers are appearing in the markets. These ultra-fancy hybrids are
still quite expensive since the majority of them are grown in Europe
and shipped here by air, but the seeds are becoming more readily
available, and specialty growers are beginning to cultivate them. If
you are creating an eye-appealing platter of raw vegetables, or want a
colorful; sauce pr stir-fry, they may well be worth the high price.
Look for deep vibrant yellow, an intense, almost maroon red, rich
shining orange, creamy white, brilliant eggplant purple, even a deep
chocolate brown. All begin their lives as green peppers and mature into
these luscious hybrid colors. All maintain their color when they are
use raw, but the purple and brown varieties turn a dark olive green if
cooked for more than a minute or two. All can be substituted in recipes
for the more familiar bells.
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