Stuffed, fried or eaten raw like an apple, bell peppers are a wonderful addition to any kitchen and their versatility ensures they won’t go to waste. With their gorgeous glossy exteriors and sweet distinctive smell even if you don’t want to eat them, they still have great ornamental value. Because of a recessive genetic trait, sweet peppers don’t produce capsicum. So you can take those gloves off, they’re completely devoid of heat.
Where did they come from?
Originally from central and southern America, the bell pepper found its way to the Mediterranean shores on the boats of Spanish and Portuguese settlers around 500 years ago. Since then, they have become a staple of western cuisine and available the world over. Despite being used to a tropical climate, peppers are incredibly adaptive and I’ve had no problem growing them in the “warm” southern region of England, but with that said, they really don’t like the cold.
How do I grow them?
Bell peppers are definitely a summer plant, find them a warm, sunny location and you’ll be reaping the benefits all season long. Although you can find peppers in all sorts of colours at the supermarket, they all start off green and change colour during the ripening process. They’re perfectly edible while green, but don’t reach their massive levels of vitamin C (150-200% of your average orange) until fully ripe, so it may be an idea to pick some while leaving the rest to get some colour. As well as developing vitamin levels, a fully ripe fruit will taste a little different, better is a strong word though, so I’ll leave the judgement down to you. Unforuntately, ethylene has little effect on peppers, so it won’t speed up the ripening process.
If, like me, you’re planting them this week, keep the pots indoors and away from the coldest parts of your house. Be sure to wait until the last frost has definitely passed to plant them out to avoid losing your crop early and having to start over mid-way through the season (not as fun as it sounds).
Once harvested, most peppers should last around 1 week in the bottom of your fridge as long as you don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat.
What can I do with them?
Because most bell peppers are squarely in the middle of sweet and savoury, they’ll work great in both dishes. As you’ll get the main bulk of your crop in the summer months, throwing a handful of pepper in to a side salad will add a great visual effect along with a crisp, crunchy texture. Fajitas without peppers would be like gardening without soil. Sliced lengthways about 1/2″ in thickness, they’ll definitely add a wonderful kick of flavour. Alternatively, lop the top off and fill your pepper with rice, meat and anything else that tickles your fancy. Put the top back on and throw it in the oven wrapped in tin foil for a soft, succulent main course. My personal favourite is a little rice and minced lamb with plenty of tomato, onion and basil. Simple and filling.
By the way, the white pith on the inner wall of the pepper is incredibly bitter and can ruin some dishes, so be sure to remove that before cooking.
The limitless uses of the bell pepper really cements its place in my garden every year, but if you’re running out of things to do with yours, keep an eye out for my post on candied peppers in the coming weeks.
