It’s true that tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini are very popular in salads, cold soups and savory dishes. We, on the other hand, find it quite unfair not to give peppers a well-deserved place of honor. This annual and fragile plant is harvested either green or ripe, and is eaten either raw or cooked. Because of its many facets, we often ask ourselves the question: “How to cut a green, red, long pepper? Our article will tell you all about it!
Before you learn how to cut a pepper, think about its use. Whether sliced, striped or finely diced, this sweet and tangy vegetable is a key ingredient in chilis, stir-fries, omelettes, sauces, salsa, raw vegetables and more .
The fresh flavor of peppers is matched only by their nutrient profile and when they aren’t growing they need to be boosted. In particular, red bell peppers are packed with vitamin C and offer vitamin A, potassium, fiber, folic acid, and iron. Whether stuffed or roasted and peeled in summer vegetable recipe salads, peppers enhance our vegetarian menu.
For a summer salad as a main course, cut the peppers into rings. Lay the pepper on its side on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife, preferably a chef’s knife, to cut off about a 1-2cm piece from the end of the stem and another from the bottom of the pepper. Use the ends for snacking or freeze for later use in soups, stews or vegetable broths.
Run the knife around the inside of the flesh to remove the pit you need to discard. Lay the bell pepper on its side and thinly slice it into rounds. Thus cut, the peppers can be used for salad plates or sandwich fillings. They can be fried in an air fryer or made a bold presentation in chilis or ratatouilles.
To make the thinly sliced peppers, start by cutting off 1-2cm from the top and bottom of the pepper and reserve for another use.
Next, cut two vertical slits through the flesh. Open the pepper and use the knife to remove the pit and discard it afterwards. Lay the pepper halves on the cutting board, skin side down, and use a sharp knife to thinly slice them into strips.
Put your cut pepper strips in salads, on veggie plates or sauté them in chilis, soups, salads and stews. It is also the way to cut peppers for the plancha and the grill.
Dice the peppers
When it comes to large or small dicing of peppers, again, start by cutting 1-2cm off the top and bottom of the pepper. These two parts can also be cut into small pieces. Cut two vertical slits in the flesh of the pepper. Open the pepper and remove the pit with the knife. Throw it away or save the seeds if you want to sow it for next season.
Lay the pepper halves on the cutting board, skin side down, and use a sharp knife to cut into strips.
Rotate the pieces 90 degrees and dice the strips the size you want.
Diced bell peppers go into all sorts of recipes, especially egg-based dishes, like omelettes. Diced peppers are also part of mirepoix for soups or stews, especially in Creole cuisine.
What is the difference between green, yellow and red peppers?
They all come from the same plant! Green peppers are picked first while yellow and red peppers spend more time ripening on the stem, allowing them to become sweeter and more nutritious. Red peppers contain six times more vitamin A and more than twice as much vitamin C as green peppers.
Can you freeze cut peppers?
Of course yes ! Just as you can freeze diced zucchini. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag that can go into the freezer. They will stay good for up to six months. If they are in the regular refrigerator, they are good for about three days.
Keep in mind that peppers contain high levels of pesticides on their skins even after washing. It’s the answer to the question, “Why remove the skin from peppers?” But if the vegetables are organic, there’s no need to do so in order not to lose certain nutrients.
If you still want to get rid of the skin which, although rich in fiber, is not easily digestible and absolutely not recommended for fragile intestines, put the peppers in the oven. When they start to soften, take out, let cool and peel. It’s easy !