Hot and sultry one minute and storming the next. That’s what Blacksburg is like right now. We’re in a good mood here regardless because pepper season is upon us. There’re lots of types of peppers, all great in their own way.
I’ll break down for you my favorite ways to use what we offer.
Sweet Italian frying peppers (aka Carmens)- By far, our sweetest pepper. Elongated “bull’s horn” shape. These peppers freeze, roast and fry superbly. They are my go-to sweet pepper, raw or cooked. *Bulk deal available.
Bell peppers– Sweet and crunchy with a thicker wall than sweet Italian frying peppers. Great for roasted stuffed peppers. *Bulk deal available.
Lunchbox– oh, man. The perfect snackable size, small core, few seeds and oh, so sweet! Great for raw snacking or grilling whole. Kids love them.
Banana– Crisp, prolific and great for pickling. *Bulk deal available.
Mad Hatter– New this year, a sweet pepper with a fun, funky shape. You may detect very slight heat near the ribs and seeds but really a harmless pepper.
Shishito– Small & green with a thin wall. Legend says 1 in 20 are hot. Blister in a hot skillet for a star bbq appetizer.
Cherry– Red, round, sweet & crisp. Slight heat, but by no means a killer. Serve stuffed with cream cheese and roasted to win over your object of desire.
Poblano– Dark green and flat bell shape with medium heat. Classic stuffed with cheese for chile rellenos.
Jalapeño– Thick wall, green and hot. Excellent in salsa and stuffed with cheese for jalapeno poppers.
Cayenne– Hot, red & skinny with thin wall. Easy to chop without getting hot pepper juice all over your hands. Longer shelf life than other hot peppers since it’s not as juicy.
Habañero– Our hottest pepper. Small, crumply shape with waxy orange coating. Shines with carrots for a stellar sweet & hot sauce.
Peppers are the pinnacle summer vegetable. But they won’t last all year.
Pick up a bulk specials on peppers for you to freeze and pickle to your heart’s content.
Sweet Italian frying peppers and bell peppers are some of the easiest veggies to freeze because they don’t require any blanching as most raw veggies do.
Just slice, bag and freeze.
Recipe for Peperonata (sauteed bell peppers with tomato, onion and garlic)
by Vicki Wasik
This makes a nice side veggie hot, or chilled, it’s a great spread on bread or can be tossed with cooked pasta or quinoa. If you want to make it a whole meal, along with the pasta, stir in 2 cups of cooked chickpeas or white beans or lentils and serve over salad mix.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 medium cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, root end removed and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 large bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
Tomatoes, chopped, to make 2 cups
1 sprig basil, sliced into ribbons, with stem discarded (or save for veggie broth) or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a heavy skill, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just starting to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in onions, increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 20 minutes.
Transfer to a large pot and add tomatoes and basil and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat to maintain simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are very soft, about 1 hour. Stir in remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar and the sugar or honey, if necessary. Serve right away, or chill, then serve reheated, slightly chilled, or at room temperature.