Peppers

[Mark0820]

It is good to see what the Dolce di Minervino peppers will look like. I have one on my plant that is about the size of my little finger.

[ContainerTed]

I have 3 plants in the garden. I will usually clean the peppers out of seeds and pulp and then freeze. We bring them out to put into fried peppers (with Captain Black's spiced rum) or to add to the grill, other dishes, or even salsa. The freezing doesn't make any difference to those applications.

This pepper is one very special variety that will be on my grow list for a while.

[O.P. Mater]

Hey! Just came back from the garden with 6 pounds of Big Jim peppers. I will cook chile rellenos tonight, but don't know the best way to process the others. Can I freeze or can them whole? It is the first time I have grown these and am amazed at the size of the peppers. Going back now to gather the red cayenne and jalapeno's. Thanks for any ideas. Sandy

[mdvpc]

http://www.zianet.com/focus/chile/chile2.htm

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by mdvpc

http://www.zianet.com/focus/chile/chile2.htm

Well I'm not going to repeat what is posted above.

What I like to do is put them in the BBQ smoker I have to impart a smokey taste to them.
I really need to build one of those chili roasting whirligigs and have it over an open charcoal fire.

Worth

[Zana]

O.P.Mater,

You might want to try pickling them. You can use the same type of brine used for cucumber pickles. I like a garlic infused brine myself. And think it might be interesting trying to smoke some first.


Worth,

You may end up with a sideline in chili roasting whirligigs if you find a way to make them easily, cheapily and quickly....lol. Can I put my order in now?


Zana

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Zana

O.P.Mater,

You might want to try pickling them. You can use the same type of brine used for cucumber pickles. I like a garlic infused brine myself. And think it might be interesting trying to smoke some first.


Worth,

You may end up with a sideline in chili roasting whirligigs if you find a way to make them easily, cheapily and quickly....lol. Can I put my order in now?


Zana

Nothing to it but developing a process, making patterns, jig's and so forth.

You might think about canning some too, I buy fresh roasted peppers in a jar all of the time at the store.

[Structure]

What a nice problem to have.

I'd roast and peel them. Then eat a lot and freeze the rest. Roasted peeled peppers freeze nicely. Be sure not to loose too much of the pepper oils when processing.

You might also do the above (roast and peel) then food process/blend with some garlic and oil to create ijvar (search for term and you'll get plenty of recipes). Ijvar can be canned to preserve for a year or more and is the most excellent spread for sandwiches etc....

I'm so jealous. I almost ordered Big Jim this year but just didn't get it done and now regret it!!

[Worth1]

We can get jalapenos and hatch chilli's for cheap here, in season.
Not like growing your own but at around 75 cents a pound it isn't bad.

Worth

[O.P. Mater]

Thanks so much........am going to use every idea here as there are more in the garden! Am firing up the grill now.......it is gas, but I have some hickory chips that I can add for that smoky flavor. Peppers......it's what's for dinner.....:-) I really do appreciate your replies today. They have buoyed my spirits and given me a clear path to take. Off to smoke some peppers!

[lurley]

I run mine under the broiler if I can't use the grill, then peel them. Some I will freeze flat and whole on a cookie sheet, then bag once frozen, to use for stuffing, a la chile rellenos. Others I will cut into long strips about a half inch wide for another dish (rajas I think it is called?) The remainder I will chop up and pressure can in those very small 4 oz jam jars, and use throughout the year just like you do the diced green chiles in the tiny cans from the grocery store. I do pimentos the same way. I like to have them for chicken a la king and a few other dishes.

[Worth1]

I thought I would post this so you guys could lick your chops.
Worth

[Worth1]

Well again I'm my own worst enemy, I looked at my above post.

I roasted some jalapenos and hatch chili's, onions, frozen Cherokee purple tomatoes and chopped them up in my new blender with Mediterranean sea salt and olive oil and a little water for fresh salsa.

Mostly peppers and it came out real good.

worth

[Zana]

Man, oh man, Worth....

that is some set up indeed....yummmmmmmm....salivating here at the thought, let alone the sight of all those peppers being roasted.

Dang...now I'm going to have to go figure out how to do it without one of those contraptions.

Zana

[mdvpc]

There is no variety of green chile called Hatch. Hatch is a town in the Mesilla Valley about 90 minutes drive from where I live-lots of different varieties are grown there-Big Jim, Joe Parker, Sandia, etc. The problem is, the supermarkets call them Hatch Chiles.

The #1 green chile cheeseburger this year is at a place called Sparky's in Hatch.

http://sparkysburgers.com/

Whenever my wife and I are driving back from Albuquerque, we stop at Sparky's.