This post is for Annie who last week posted a pretty picture of this flavorful pepper. Here are my "all flavor, no fire" ají dulce:
These came from a farmer’s market in Atlanta and I keep them in my freezer in a zip lock bag. They do not photograph well in the bag so I took them out to snap the photo. As you can see they turn red, yellow and/or orange as they mature. I make sofrito with them but I also like to put them whole in the stews. Once in a while I come across one that is a bit more spicy than sweet and I’ve read that it may be due to out-crossing with other hot pepper plants. Also, since they look so much like the habanero peppers, I found a few of those hot ones in my bag. I didn’t know they had been thrown in there until I cut one open and the heat vapor brought tears to my eyes. I’ll have to be more careful next time I pick a bag of ají dulce.
In the freezer:
Comments (9)
Very pretty, I love the blend of colours!
Posted by sandrac | September 21, 2009 12:43 PM
Posted on September 21, 2009 12:43
Thanks Maria! They are such beautiful peppers! I was curious about freezing them. So you just froze them whole, no blanching or anything like that? I really wish I had bought a bunch of them at my market to freeze; they are SO flavorful. I found a website where you can order seeds and I might try to grow them next summer. I chopped up one and put it in tuna salad and it was awesome. I can see how one of those deadly haberneros might get mixed in with aji dolce!
I've got another new (to me) pepper that I'm going to blog about in the next day or so. :)
Posted by Annie | September 22, 2009 5:21 AM
Posted on September 22, 2009 05:21
Hi Maria, great photos. I also think they look so pretty with their different colors and their flavors sounds like a wonderful addition to a wonderful stew recipe. Yum!
Thanks for sharing. Have a great day today!
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | September 22, 2009 6:27 AM
Posted on September 22, 2009 06:27
Sandra, I also find them pretty and always try to pick them in all the different colors.
Kathy, they impart a very distinctive flavor to any kind of stew. I also use them when I'm making beans and in some rice dishes, like chicken with rice.
Annie, right, no blanching or dicing, just wash, air dry and freeze. They keep well in the freezer. I'd love to grow them here but I think our summers are bit extreme for the plant to survive.
I love all varieties of peppers and I'm so looking forward to your new pepper post. My new favorite pepper is the poblano pepper.
Posted by María I. | September 22, 2009 2:22 PM
Posted on September 22, 2009 14:22
Like so many of the others I think the colors are so brilliantly beautiful.
Posted by Barb Cabot | September 22, 2009 4:13 PM
Posted on September 22, 2009 16:13
I like poblanos too and also cubanelle which you mentioned on my blog. I grew cubanelles a couple of summers ago.
The farmer who sold me the aji dolce only had the bright green ones; if I grow some next year, I'll leave some on the plant longer to turn colors.
Posted by Annie | September 23, 2009 12:13 PM
Posted on September 23, 2009 12:13
If you grow them, have the camera ready. They look so cute hanging on the plant in different colors, almost like Christmas ornaments.
I'm making my avocado appetizer today. It’s a Lebanese avocado dip and I hope it is good. It's made with tahini.
Posted by Maria I. | September 23, 2009 1:24 PM
Posted on September 23, 2009 13:24
Beautiful peppers~
Posted by candi | October 10, 2009 8:05 AM
Posted on October 10, 2009 08:05
I was googling if I could easily freeze these little guys and I came upon your post! I just got a batch in my CSA share today and I know I won't use them all at once. It's great to learn they freeze well!
Thank you for your post!
Posted by Debbie T | September 1, 2010 2:03 PM
Posted on September 1, 2010 14:03