John Myers
The sweet pepper belongs to the nightshade family. Both the plant and the fruit of the plant are called paprika. Botanically, the vegetable is a hollow berry fruit and not a pod as is widely believed. The pepper varieties vary in colour, size, shape, and heat. Sweet peppers are commercially available in green, yellow, orange, and red. White and black specimens are offered less frequently.
Origin
Originally, the pepper was grown and cultivated in Central and South America. Birds also brought them to Central America. The wild type of vegetable was cultivated as early as 7000 BC, and the cultivated form about 2000 years later as well. In the 16th century, Spanish conquerors brought peppers to Europe. However, before it was cultivated as a vegetable, it was used as an ornamental plant for a long time.
Season
Paprika is available all year round. In the winter months he mostly comes to the Almeria region in Spain. There it is raised in plastic greenhouses. The spring and summer production comes mainly from glass greenhouses in the Netherlands. In Germany, too, more and more peppers are being produced in greenhouses.
Taste
Paprika is a tender vegetable and, depending on the degree of ripeness, has a slightly tart to slightly sweet aroma.
Use
Whether raw in a salad, roasted or steamed as a vegetable side dish with meat and fish, stewed with beef in a Hungarian goulash soup, or heartily stuffed with minced meat – peppers cut a fine figure in all variations. And paprika also comes into its own in spicy salsas, such as our raclette side dishes, spicy as a relish and finely pureed in a spicy sauce. Since a cavity is created when the core is removed, the nightshade plant can also be wonderfully filled. For example, fry minced meat and refine it with intense spices to serve our stuffed peppers a little later.
Storage/shelf life
Peppers stay fresh for about 1 week in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. They should be stored in a plastic bag with air holes.
