Yum Yum Peppers

This week’s Vegetable Box Feature: Yum Yum Peppers… add some colour to your Thanksgiving meal!

Did you know?

• They were developed as hybrid pods that lack capsaicin, which is the chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel the sensation of spice or heat.
• They keep their crunchy texture & have a sweet flavour.
• These peppers may be seedless or contain a few small, round, and flat, cream-colored seeds.
• They are an excellent source of vitamin C & also a good source of vitamin A and contain fiber, vitamins B6, E, and K, potassium, folate, and manganese.
  
  

How to Store Them:
They will keep 1-2 weeks when stored whole and unwashed in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

How to Use Them:
Yum Yum peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as grilling, roasting, and sautéing. The peppers can be consumed fresh, out-of-hand as a crunchy snack, sliced and tossed into salads, displayed on appetizer platters, chopped into salsa, or halved and stuffed with dips, cheeses, or hot fillings. The sweet flavor of the peppers makes them a suitable substitute for common bell peppers in recipes. Yum Yum peppers can also be skewered onto kabobs, sliced and roasted as a topping on tacos, fajitas, pasta, and pizza, cooked into eggs, layered into sandwiches, or tossed into soups and stews.

Recipes:

Four Ingredient Balsamic Roasted Mini Peppers
Created By: Alexandra Stafford

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. mixed baby peppers
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 450ºF convection. (If you don’t have convection, don’t worry — your peppers may just take a little bit longer.) Place peppers in a 9×13-inch pan or something similar (a sheet pan is not recommended). Season with salt, olive oil, and balsamic and toss to coat.

2. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 15 to 25 minutes. Start checking at the 15 minute mark — every oven is different, and depending on the pan you are using the peppers may need more or less time. Remove the peppers when they look blistered to your liking — they shouldn’t be charred the way peppers look when you want to roast and peel them, but they should have some nice dark spots, and they should look wrinkly and slightly collapsed — they’ll collapse more once you remove them from the oven.
3. Remove peppers from the oven and transfer them and all of their juices to a serving platter. Taste one. Sprinkle with more flaky sea salt (or other) if desired. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Mozzarella Stuffed Sweet Mini Peppers
Created by: Elise Bauer

A delicious and easy appetizer to serve at your Thanksgiving celebration.

Ingredients:
1lb sweet mini peppers (about 12)
1/4lb smoked (or regular) mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch thick and 2 inch long batons
12 basil leaves (as many basil leaves as peppers)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste

Instructions:
1. Working one pepper at a time, place flat side down in a way that is most stable for the pepper. With a small sharp knife, cut a 2 1/2 inch slit down the middle on the top of the pepper. If there is a seed pod, scoop it out with a spoon. Stuff the pepper with a basil leaf wrapped mozzarella stick.

2. When you have stuffed all the peppers, brush them on all sides with olive oil. Drizzle balsamic vinegar in the cut openings.
   
   3. Cook on grill, in oven, or under broiler: Preheat grill, oven, or broiler for high direct heat (if oven, set to 400°F). If grilling, grill covered, cut side up on high direct heat until you have grill marks, then lower the heat to medium until the cheese is melted and the peppers have begun to soften, about 5 to 10 minutes. If broiling or baking, place on a roasting pan and cook until the cheese is melted and peppers have browned and softened, about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
4. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Mini Pepper Nachos
Created by: Carolyn Ketchum

A fun and delicious twist on a favourite!

Ingredients:
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it hotter)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb mini peppers, halved and seeded
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomato
Other toppings as desired (sour cream, olives, chopped jalapeño, avocado, etc.)

Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef until just cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Add spice mixture and sauté until well combined. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange mini peppers in a single layer, cut-side up but very close together.
4. Sprinkle with ground beef mixture and shredded cheese (make sure every mini pepper gets a little meat and cheese!). Bake 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melty.
5. Remove from oven and top with chopped tomatoes and any other desired toppings. Serve immediately.