CHILI PEPPERS

Peppers belong to the same family as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and tomatillo. Hot peppers are green when young and turn red as they ripen. A substance called capsaicin causes peppers to be hot. Capsaican is soluble in milk and alcohol, but not in water. If you eat a pepper that is too hot for your taste, drinking water will not help. Try drinking milk to ease the painful sensation. Hot peppers are available at Sub Edge in the summer and early fall months. Hot peppers vary in intensity
depending on the type.

Storage: Store hot peppers in a cool dry place for 1-2 weeks.

Preparation: Be very careful when preparing hot peppers. It is best to wear rubber gloves when chopping or handling them. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after you have cut a hot pepper because the capsaican in the pepper will cause burning and irritation. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling. The seeds and inner ribs of the hot pepper are the most intense parts. Leave them in to prepare a really hot dish or remove those parts to reduce the hotness. Removing the skin allows the full flavor to come through. Skins are easily removed after roasting or grilling. To roast peppers, place them on a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the skin is brown and bubbly. Let stand for 20-30 minutes. After cooling, slice lengthwise and remove the stem, skin, and ribs.