THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603130035
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By BETTY DOUGLASS, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
ANYONE WHO'S ever lopped off the top of a green bell pepper, stuffed it with a savory filling and served it piping hot from the oven knows the sweet goodness this vegetable delivers.
What's more, it delivers year-round: Luscious bells pack vitamins C and A and potassium - at about 22 calories apiece.
Adventurous cooks also know the taste sensation doesn't stop with green bells. Those red and yellow bells stocked in local markets add sweetness and beauty to dishes, too.
Depending on the season, you'll find bells in a rainbow of colors, from white to pale green, yellow, orange, purple, chocolate brown and black.
Named for their shape, all bells are mild-tasting, crisp and juicy.
``The red bells simply are vine-ripened green bell peppers, which, because they've ripened longer, are very sweet,'' says Sharon Tyler Herbst in ``Food Lover's Companion'' (Barron's, 1990).
The deep-purple pepper, introduced by the Dutch, is green inside and turns green outside when cooked for more than a minute or two. To help it retain its color, serve it raw.
All peppers are members of the capsicum family and are native to the New World. Columbus returned to Spain from his second voyage to the New World with a hull full of the versatile vegetable.
Today, bell peppers are found in the world's cuisines, from Middle Eastern lamb dishes, to Cantonese stir-fries, to Hungarian goulash.
If you plan to use them at home, select bells that feel heavy for their size. They should be firm and shiny, with thick, meaty walls. Avoid peppers with soft spots or shriveled areas.
Keep peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Because they are more fully ripened, the red and yellow peppers have a shorter shelf life than the green.
Besides being healthful, peppers are easy to prepare.
For stuffing, cut about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top and scoop out or trim away seeds and white ribs.
If the peppers are to be sliced, cut them in half, then trim away stem, seeds and ribs.
If you are using chopped peppers, one medium pepper equals about 3/4 cup chopped.
Bells can be broiled, sauteed, fried, baked, stuffed, pickled, dried and eaten raw.
Here are some recipes to get you started. [For a copy of the recipes, see page F4 of The Virginian-Pilot for this date.] ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
JIM WALKER
The Virginian-Pilot
Depending on the season, you'll find bell peppers in a rainbow of
colors.
ROASTED GOODNESS
Roasting bell peppers, especially the reds, gives them a rich,
smoky flavor and velvety texture. I roast six to eight red bells at
a time, in an oven heated to 450 degrees.
To do this, place washed, whole peppers on a shallow, foil-lined
baking sheet so the peppers are not touching. Roast for about 20
minutes or until they smell fragrant. Check peppers, turning them
with tongs for even charring on all sides. Check again about every
10 minutes; the peppers should be well-charred, or black, on all
surfaces.
Remove peppers to a bowl or plastic bag and cover until cool
enough to handle, 20 to 30 minutes, which helps loosen the charred
skin. When cool, peel and seed each pepper.
Working over the sink, pull out the stem end of each pepper.
Divide the pepper into strips, removing the skin and seeds.
Running water on the peppers after they are roasted robs them of
some of their flavor; simply hold the strips in one hand and run
your other hand down the length of the pepper to remove clinging
seeds. Place strips in a bowl to use as you like.
by CNB