Sweet and hot peppers are kitchen essentials. Taste, colour, panache: they have it all. One more reason to preserve them and get the most out of your crop.
 

Use – up to you

Note: ALWAYS wear gloves when you plan to handle hot peppers and NEVER touch your eyes.
 
Eat peppers as you would vegetables. Bonus information: mature, fully ripe bell peppers have more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable! Try them:
  • Raw
  • Sautéed
  • Grilled
  • Cooked in soups and sauces
Hot peppers are used chiefly as condiments. Bonus information: the capsaicin of hot peppers is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties! Go ahead and experiment; you can use them:
  • to boost the flavour and heat of your dishes.
  • In spicy sauces (harissa, tabasco, sriracha, etc.)

Storing and Preserving

Whether due to an over-abundant harvest or to prolong the season, it’s important to know how to preserve all the flavour of your peppers. Below are three techniques:

In the fridge

  1. Put peppers in a perforated plastic bag or a paper bag.
  2. Put the bag in a drawer in the fridge.
  3. Store up to one week.

In the freezer

  1. Cut peppers in half.
  2. Remove the seeds and white veins.
  3. Slice the peppers then spread them out on a baking tray.
  4. Freeze for 12 hours.
  5. Put the peppers in a sealed container (plastic bag, plastic or glass container).
  6. Store in the freezer.
  7. Store up to 6 months.

Air-drying

  1. Thread a needle through the stalks of the hot pepper.
  2. Hang in a warm, dry and well-ventilated spot away from direct sunlight.

Delicious recipes

Lentil stuffed peppers

Ingredients
  • 2 red peppers
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 250 ml cooked lentils
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • 1 cup strong cheddar cheese
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon crushed thyme
  • ½ teaspoon crushed savory
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sesame seeds
  • A few fresh cilantro leaves
Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
  2. Cut the peppers in half length-wise, scrape out seeds and veins, and put in a lightly oiled oven-proof dish.
  3. Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry gently in oil for 5 minutes.
  4. Put the onions and garlic into a bowl, then add the lentils, breadcrumbs, half the cheese, the egg, milk and seasoning. Mix.
  5. Stuff the peppers with the mix.
  6. Put the second half of the cheese on top of the peppers and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  7. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
Just before serving, sprinkle the peppers with a few fresh cilantro leaves
 

Homemade Harissa Sauce

Ingredients
  • 100 g dried hot peppers (your choice)
  • 20 g garlic
  • 3 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more)
Preparation
  1. Soak the hot peppers in lukewarm water for approximately two hours. Drain, trim, remove the seeds (for a sauce with a little more bite, keep aside a few seeds) and chop into small cubes.
  2. Finely chop the garlic.
  3. In a mixer or using a pestle and mortar, grind the peppers with the garlic and seasonings.
  4. Add the oil and continue to mix to obtain a smooth paste.
Homemade Harissa sauce can be kept for two weeks in the fridge or six months in the freezer.